29ers at the 2026 RYA Youth National Championships
by Rebecca Hutchinson 11 Apr 18:15 BST
3-10 April 2026
29ers at the 2026 RYA Youth Nationals © RYA / Martin Allen
Hayling Island delivered a typically uncompromising test for the 29er fleet at the 2026 RYA Youth National Championships, where a 43 boat fleet lined up in the opening phase of selection for the Youth Sailing World Championships.
With only the top male or mixed crew and the top female crew securing selection, the stakes were high. The series forms the first half of a two-event process, with final decisions to be made at the 29er World Championships in Kiel.
Conditions were dominated by a westerly breeze building through 15-25 knots, with gusts over 30 knots, producing steep Solent chop and placing a premium on control.
In these conditions, the regatta quickly became defined by execution rather than risk, with mistakes heavily punished.
At the front, Jac Baily and Ben Sinfield delivered a standout series to take the overall (male/mixed) win. Dirk Rogers and Will McEwen followed in second, with Ben Greenhalgh and Tom Sinfield third.
Across the fleet, the scoreboard reflected the difficulty of the conditions. Capsizes and handling errors were common, and those able to stay upright and maintain speed made decisive gains.
In the female competition, raced within the same fleet but awarded a separate podium. Freya Hutchinson and Joanna Macalister set the benchmark, consistently mixing it with the leading group overall. They were followed by Lila Edwards and Lily O'Halloran in second, with Eliana Edwards and Izzy Johnson third.
With a full schedule and no margin for error, Hayling has drawn the first clear lines in the selection battle, but with Kiel still to come, the final decision remains wide open.
Full results can be found here.