Poole Week 2026 is getting closer
by David Harding 5 Aug 08:07 BST
23-28 August 2026
Poole Week 2025 Day 6 © David Harding /
www.sailingscenes.com
Poole Week (23rd to 28th August) is getting ever closer, and Parkstone Yacht Club is gearing up for one of its biggest events of the year.
Events on this scale demand vast amounts of organisation and endless hours of planning and preparation by volunteers. Commercial sponsorship has become ever more important, too. Poole Week is delighted to welcome Haven Knox-Johnston as headline sponsor, with day sponsors including Charles Stanley (wealth management), Preston Redman (solicitors) and Badger Beers (Hall & Woodhouse Brewery).
Prizes have long been a major part of Poole Week, where even those who don't win on the water can still be rewarded at the daily prize-giving after racing. Competitors come ashore from a great afternoon in the harbour, put their boats away, shower and change and have a beer or two (or tea and cake, included in the entry fee).
Then, to top it all, they might find they've won a fantastic prize in the daily draw even if they finished mid-fleet. Zhik is this year's headline prize sponsor, with other prizes generously provided by Sailteck, Optimum Time, Marlow Ropes and Harken.
The evening's entertainment doesn't end there, however. Social highlights of the week include live music on Wednesday and Thursday nights and a DJ for the end-of-week prize-giving on Friday.
Whatever anyone might think about the need for commercial sponsorship, there's no doubt that events like Poole Week are bigger and better for it. Whether the sponsors are local companies or names that are known across the sailing world, they're getting involved because they want to, and Poole Week is grateful for their support. That includes Bournemouth Digital, who supply the all-important website.
It's still not too late to be part of the fun. Entries are open until 17th August and day-entries can be made every day on the day.
To find out more and to enter, visit www.PooleWeek.org