Mini Yacht and Standart British Championship Regatta at York Landyachting Club

British Championship Regatta at York © Simon Thompson

The York Landyachting Club proudly hosted the third round of the 2024/25 BFSLYC Landyacht series for Mini yachts and Standarts at Elvington airfield, just outside York. With the forecast promising light winds of 8-12 mph and clear skies, we saw a fantastic turnout of 19 land yachts, despite earlier predictions of rain.

The solid airfield surface made for an excellent sailing venue in these lighter wind regattas, minimising wheel drag — as long as everyone stayed off the green areas.

For those interested in joining us, the York Landsailing Club offers regular sessions, so don't hesitate to reach out for a taster experience!

The specific conditions called for some adjustments compared to sand, with higher tire pressure and reduced "tow out" on the rear wheels crucial for maximising both speed and tire longevity.

British Championship Regatta at York - photo © Simon Thompson

Saturday began briskly as we kicked off at 10:00 AM. Colin Padget graciously allowed a half-hour free sail for participants to finalize their yacht setups and to gather feedback on the course. A few minor adjustments to the windward mark by the adjacent woods greatly improved the bear-away section. As many experienced, failure to get a good launch in the bear away typically required sailing back up wind to get the speed to sail downwind as with Sail GP and America's Cup yachts.

Among the usual front-runners, Dave Green, Chris Wright, were Graham Lynch winning race 3, with Keith Ecroyd taking second, kept the competition fierce. Remarkably, the Mini yachts managed to reach speeds of over 25 mph, covering race distances of up to 3 miles in about 10-12 minutes.

On Saturday evening, Colin fired up the grill for a group BBQ, featuring a well-stocked table of sides organised by Alison Padget and Mags Ecroyd. This was a great way for those camping or caravanning on-site, as well as those staying nearby, to bond over multiple fire pits keeping the atmosphere cosy and warm.

British Championship Regatta at York - photo © Simon Thompson

Sunday brought brighter weather and an improved forecast, with winds picking up to 12-14 mph and coming from a more easterly direction. This shift minimised the turbulence from the woods and allowed for a more rectangular course featuring a beat and run. Mini yacht speeds soared to over 32 mph and averaged around 17 mph for a 10-minute race covering 4-5 miles.

However, Dave Green and Ed Ingles faced tire issues in the last few races, which opened the door for Nick Heather, Keith Ecroyd, and Mark Sidey to secure podium finishes in race 7.

See another video [Youtube Short] of a race start

A special mention goes to Max Spears, the new youngest member in the Mini fleet, who competed in only his second UK mini event and secured a commendable 7th place in race 7. He's quickly getting the hang of dealing with the apparent wind!

A huge thank you to all the members of the York Landyacht Club for their efforts in organising such a fantastic regatta. We must say, it has to be one of the best snack bars on the circuit!

If you have an interest in coming for a taster session in a training yacht and then on into a mini, please don't hesitate to contact British Federation of Sand and Land Yacht Clubs www.britishlandsailing.org.uk or pop along to one of the regattas to see what it's all about.

• Wirral, Hoylake, 7th /8th June
• St Annes, Lytham, 21st / 22nd June
• Wirral, Hoylake, 5th /6th July
• Wirral, Hoylake, EUROS 28th September / 3rd October (Class 2,3,5 & S)

Miniyacht winners - British Championship Regatta at York - photo © Chris Wright

Mini Results:

Standart Results:

Standart winners - British Championship Regatta at York - photo © Chris Wright