The WASZP Games: A decade in the making and planning for SailingFast
by Mark Jardine 17 Jul 12:05 BST
14-25 July 2025
The WASZP Games at the Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA) has been a decade in the making for Duncan & Emma Hepplewhite at SailingFast, so seeing it come to fruition is a proud moment for them and the team.
Back when the WASZP class was introduced in 2016, attracting well over 200 boats to compete from all over the world was a dream, but now that has come reality with somewhere around 240 of the foiling one-design dinghies set to take part in the event.
Right now, it's the middle day of the Pre-Games, with 125 helms taking part, and the SailingFast team have been on the ground, tending to the fleet's needs, all week. Duncan starts his day well before the first of the sailors starts to rig on the hard outside the academy, making sure everything is set so that they're ready for whatever problems are thrown at them.
I talked with Duncan back at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show in February, and his excitement was plain to see, and now the event is here, he's just as enthusiastic:
"It has the potential to be the largest single class foiling event ever, and the idea of attracting this many sailors from all over the world to Weymouth, when we're competing with iconic venues like Lake Garda, is incredible. I spoke with an ILCA sailor yesterday who marvelled at the sight of the fleet rigging at the WPNSA during this Pre-Games event, and I replied, 'Just wait until you see double this number rigging up for the main event!'."
There are entries from at least 18 countries, with containers filled with boats shipped in from Australia and the USA, the Italian and French dealers on-site, and WASZP designer Andrew McDougall, known universally as Amac, also at the event.
The racing is spectacular, with Wednesday also having the 'Marathon Race' scheduled. This will see the entire fleet on a single start line out in Weymouth Bay. In what is already an incredible July for sailing events in the UK, this could arguably top the lot.
Suffering from FOMO? It's still possible to be part of the event, with more details at racehub.waszp.com/eventdetail/360
If you don't currently own a WASZP then visit sailingfast.co.uk/product/waszp-games-2025-boat-charter but you'll have to be quick!