RS Feva UK National Championships 2025 - Big Winds, Fancy Dress and Competitive Racing

Rooster RS Feva UK Nationals at Dalgety Bay © RS Feva UK Class

The sun might have stayed hidden this bank holiday weekend, but the wind certainly showed up in force for the 2025 RS Feva National Championships. Over 90 dinghies from across the UK gathered at Dalgety Bay Sailing Club in Scotland, where they were warmly welcomed for a long weekend packed with racing, laughter, and RS Feva spirit.

This event was a showcase of the best in youth double-handed dinghy racing, featuring a fantastic mix of boys, girls, mixed teams, family crews, school groups, and club partnerships - all dreaming of national titles.

Sailors came from all corners of the UK, including Cornwall, Devon, Essex, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Northern Ireland, the Lake District, Kent, Sussex, Wales, Hampshire, Dorset, the Isle of Wight, and Scotland - making this one of the most inclusive junior sailing regattas on the calendar.

Day 1 - Qualifiers and Ceilidh Fun

Racing kicked off around midday on Saturday 24th May, with a competitive round of qualifiers to divide the large fleet into gold and silver fleets. The action was intense, with a tie for first place between Cassius Day and Harry O'Callaghan (Sail No. 8762) from Gurnard Sailing Club, and family duo Thomas and Daniel Whitehead (Sail No. 8686) from Filey Sailing Club.

The evening brought sailors, parents, and volunteers together for a buffet dinner, followed by a traditional ceilidh hosted by Funkeilidh.

Day 2 - Weather on Hold, Party On

Sunday brought a fierce gale with wind speeds gusting up to 50 knots and 1.5m waves - conditions far too extreme for safe sailing. Racing was cancelled, but the energy stayed high with a lively Championship dinner and disco, allowing competitors to bond off the water too.

Rooster RS Feva UK Nationals at Dalgety Bay - photo © RYA Northern Ireland

Day 3 - Fancy Dress and Fierce Competition

It was definitely not a blue Monday as everyone embraced the fancy dress. A famous part of the annual RS Feva Nationals, fancy dress day is looked forward to every year. There were minions, unicorns, bananas, cola bottles and much more! It was a colourful and breezy day that tested everyone's resilience and racing skills.

The evening celebrated the supporters as well as the sailors, with a special whisky tasting session arranged for the adults.

Day 4 - Final Battles and Crowning Champions

The final day of racing delivered fast-paced, tactical sailing in wild Scottish conditions. In the gold fleet, Ben Greenhalgh and Millie Greenhalgh (Sail No. 8818) from Port Dinorwic Sailing Club fought their way to the top, bringing the title home to Wales after finishing third in the qualifiers.

In the silver fleet, Henry Ross and Matthew Wilcox (Sail No. 5859) from Netley Sailing Club clinched the win, making their club in Southampton proud.

The event concluded with another buffet and the official prize-giving ceremony on Tuesday evening - celebrating not just the winners, but the entire youth sailing community who made the weekend so special.

Emily and Annabel Ridout - Rooster RS Feva UK Nationals at Dalgety Bay - photo © RYA Northern Ireland

A Thank You to the Hosts and Sponsors

The 2025 RS Feva Nationals once again delivered an unforgettable experience for newcomers and seasoned racers alike. Events like this are essential for building confidence and skills in beginner dinghy sailors and fostering a love of the sport in the next generation.

Along with the countless volunteers and supporters, the RS Feva Class Association wanted to extend huge thank you to Dalgety Bay Sailing Club for hosting and to RS Sailing's Scottish dealer Sailingfast for their continued support throughout the weekend.

Fynn Sterritt returns to his roots to help RYA Scotland launch new strategic cycle at Rooster RS Feva Nationals - photo © RYA Scotland

Overall Results: