Yachts & Yachting magazine September 2019

Back in July there was a weekend of international sport that saw millions of people glued to the television for the British Grand Prix, the Wimbledon finals and the Cricket World Cup – each event more astonishingly edge-of-your-seat than the last. But the real excitement was going on in Vilamoura, where two teenagers from Lymington were taking on the world in the 420 class. Friends Vita Heathcote and Milly Boyle, both from Royal Lymington YC, moved into the 420 together from Optimists four years ago and won 420 silver at the Youth Worlds in Texas last year. Perhaps their senior triumph was on the cards, but to do it at this stage in their careers was a magnificent success for them and a great moment for anyone who has been…

Britain’s Ali Young won bronze at the Laser Radial World Championships in July and was hoping to replicate her success at the Olympic test event in August. Two-time Olympian Young (left) showed consistency on the waters of Japan’s Sakaiminato City, with six top-10 finishes over the 11-race series. The 32-year-old remained in the top 10 of the 111-boat fleet throughout the week-long regatta, rocketing up the leaderboard to secure bronze on the final day – exactly one year to go until the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony. Denmark’s Anne-Marie Rindom took the top spot, while Rio 2016 gold medallist Marit Bouwmeester finished second just three points ahead of Young. Britain’s Hannah Snellgrove came home in seventh, while Georgina Povall was 34th. Young’s result was a timely boost as she prepared to take on the Tokyo…

Sixty teams racing ten different examples of the J/Boat range were in action with skippers from Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States in the Landsail Tyres J-Cup hosted by the Royal Southern Yacht Club. Nine races were completed over three days of thrilling racing for more than 300 sailors, with Solent conditions ranging from moderate to downright exhilirating. In the 16-strong J/70 Class, Paul Ward’s Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat scored seven bullets out of nine races to win the class from Charles Thompson’s Brutus. Clive Bush’s Darcey was third by a single point. Eat, Sleep, J, Repeat was awarded the J-Cup. In the IRC Big Boat Class, Chaz Ivill’s J/112 Davanti Tyres won the class for a third year in a row, just ahead of Mike Wallis’ J/122 Jahmali. Isabelle…

The only show in the world dedicated to dinghy sailing is set to return to Alexandra Palace, London, from 29 February to 1 March 2020. Now in its 69th year, the RYA Dinghy Show in association with Yachts & Yachting will once again offer a weekend of interactive features, expert advice and all the latest dinghy boats and kit. The 2020 show theme will be “A World of Opportunity – see where dinghy sailing can take you”. “We are looking forward to another fantastic weekend at Alexandra Palace,” said RYA Director of Sport Development, Alistair Dickson. “With exciting new features and a brand new layout, it promises to be one not to be missed.” dinghyshow.org.uk…

£6,000 raised for the RNLI by the Big Bay ECO Challenge – a race from Brixham to MDL’s Torquay marina between a BMW i8, a bicycle, a Bavaria yacht, a water-bicycle and a paddleboard. 19 year-old Lewis Haig has been named RYA Yachtmaster of the Year, two years after taking up sailing with Ocean Youth Trust Scotland. His award was presented by HRH The Princess Royal. 100 years of the Scandinavian Gold Cup was celebrated in Helsinki in July. Since 1953 it has been sailed in 5.5m-rule boats. The unusual format means after three races only winners stay in – the cup goes to the first to get three victories. 6 pupils at Greenbank Primary in St Helens have had the school’s new Qube dinghies named after them. Pupils can learn to sail…

“When I first got in the water and started sailing I was really scared and a bit nervous but I’m now really happy when out on the water. It helps me take my mind off everything. I look forward to helping less confident people and help them love sailing, too. I love sailing so much I want to be a Paralympic sailor.” Bradley Pedrick, right, 11-year old winner of the Panerai Challenger 2019 Trophy which funds grants to young individuals who have overcome physical, economic or social challenges to achieve significant milestones in their sailing. “The Golden Age of ocean yacht racing seems a distant memory. Huge budgets and elite professionals racing custom carbon yachts that ‘fly’ €600,000 foils, where shore teams via satellite are making tactical decisions is the new norm.…