GP14 World Championships 2026 at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club - Runners and Riders
by Angela Hunter 6 Aug 10:34 BST
8-14 August 2026
RNIYC GP14 Spring Series Day 5 © Zac Dalzell
As anticipation builds for the 2026 GP14 World Championships at the Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club, supported by Ards and North Down Borough Council, this weekend, we take a closer look at the sailors expected to challenge for honours across the fleet.
With the entry list capped at 100 boats, this year's championship promises one of the strongest and most competitive line-ups in recent memory. The fleet features Olympians, World Champions and many of the finest GP14 sailors, all aiming to lift one of the class's most coveted trophies.
Competitors are travelling from Canada, South Africa, Pakistan and Australia, alongside strong contingents from Scotland, England and Ireland, making this a truly international championship.
Here are some of the teams expected to feature prominently across the fleets, including in the battle for the Overall Championship.
Owens / Morris
Current Irish National Champions Ger Owens and Mel Morris bring together an extraordinary depth of sailing experience and talent.
Owens, a three-time Olympian and prolific winner of Irish Sailing's Champion of Champions Trophy, teams up with the hugely talented Morris to form one of the favourites for the championship. Particularly formidable in light to medium conditions, they have won almost everything on the Irish circuit.
The GP14 World Championship is the major title still missing from their collection. Could this finally be their year?
Dickson / Lee
Current Irish Olympian Robert Dickson joins forces with GP14 stalwart Adrian Lee in one of the most intriguing partnerships in the fleet.
Dickson narrowly missed an Olympic medal in the 49er class at Paris 2024, finishing fourth alongside Sean Waddilove. With Lee's extensive GP14 experience complementing Dickson's world-class speed, this pairing is certain to attract plenty of attention.
McGuinness
Brothers John and Donal McGuinness are perhaps the longest-standing sibling partnership on the Irish circuit.
Years of racing together have produced exceptional teamwork, and they continue to challenge consistently at the front of the fleet. Recent race victories prove they remain genuine podium contenders.
Evans / Draper
David Evans and William Draper arrive as one of the leading youth teams, but they will be aiming for far more than the Youth Trophy.
After countless hours on the water, the pair continue to improve at an impressive rate. Their fitness and physicality make them particularly dangerous across a wide range of conditions, and they have the pace to challenge for the overall title.
Loudens
Keith and Mateo Loudens are one of the form crews coming into the championship.
The father-and-son team finished runners-up at the 2025 British Nationals before dominating the Munster Championship at Cullaun, where they did not drop a point. Mateo, a graduate of the Plas Menai programme and a regular at E. Howard-Davies Week, continues to develop into one of the class's brightest young talents.
Boyles
Father-and-son combination Peter and Stephen Boyles have all the ingredients to mount a serious title challenge.
Stephen has been winning championships since the 1980s and brings decades of tactical knowledge, race management and boat-speed expertise. Victory at the most recent event on the Irish calendar suggests they are finding form at exactly the right time.
Smith / Rimmer
England's Andy Smith and Alastair Rimmer travel west from the north of England with a wealth of GP14 championship experience.
Multiple race winners at previous championships, they have consistently demonstrated excellent speed and know exactly what it takes to compete at the front of the fleet.
Grimes / Gingles
Coleman Grimes and Ross Gingles remain one of Ireland's strongest pairings.
Fifth overall at the 2022 World Championships in Skerries, they combine experience with increasing consistency. Particularly quick in stronger winds, they arrive after an impressive Irish Nationals and appear to be building momentum at the perfect time.
Twohig / Cotter
Connor Twohig and Matt Cotter have taken a significant step forward this season, winning the Ulster Championship at CAYC.
They also finished second at the Fireball Irish Nationals, underlining their speed across different classes. Twohig works professionally in sailing analysis and simulation training, while together the pair have built a following of more than 13,000 through their sailing channel. They are ones to watch, both on and off the water.
Hale / Shaw
Oli Hale and Harry Shaw are a young British duo with time firmly on their side.
They have shown formidable talent from an early stage in their sailing careers and underlined their potential by winning the opening three races of the 2025 British Nationals.
Brice / Timmer
Jennifer Brice and Vivika Timmer form an all-female team that has been steadily advancing through the fleet.
Brice helped deliver the E. Howard-Davies training weekend at Plas Menai this year and has continued to sharpen her racing through an extensive programme of training and circuit events with a variety of crews. The team will be aiming to improve on its previous World Championship result and challenge for a World Sailing medal.
Kearney / Nelson
Two-time Mirror World Champion Ross Kearney, winner in Sweden in 2005 and Australia in 2011, teams up with multiple Irish GP14 Champion Daniel Nelson, who claimed a runners-up medal at the 2018 GP14 Worlds.
Representing the host club, this pairing combines world-class experience, youth and valuable local knowledge. Nelson is another graduate of the Plas Menai programme, and the right conditions could make them one of the championship favourites.
Hayes / James
John Hayes and Joel James are another highly experienced team who have sailed together for many years.
They possess the speed and tactical awareness to master Belfast Lough's conditions. Although they have not appeared regularly in the GP14 fleet recently, they are expected to feature near the front. Their podium prospects may depend on whether they can maintain consistency across the series.
Corbett / Pemberry
Daniel Corbett and Daniel Pemberry produced the leading Bronze Fleet performance at their home event and have delivered an impressive set of results this season.
They have also tested themselves against strong competition at the British Nationals and will be eager to demonstrate how much they have learned. This could be the event that sees them take another step up the rankings.
Street / Lloyd
Sam Street and Josh Lloyd may be one of the fleet's strongest pairings in terms of power-to-weight ratio.
Having graduated from the Plas Menai programme, they have progressed to lead-coordinator roles for the advanced training week. Their boat-handling ability is exceptional, while their race experience and communication have continued to improve. Expect them to feature high in the pecking order.
Hamilton / Stolkova
Paul Hamilton and Hana Stolkova are consistent performers who sail cleanly and efficiently throughout an event.
They make few mistakes and should be well suited to the demands of a large, highly competitive fleet.
Torrens
Siblings Adam and Emily Torrens have stood out for their rapid progression through the fleet.
They graduated into the Gold Fleet this year, although they had already been racing near the front for some time. Calm yet physical in the boat, they show maturity beyond their years and possess an exceptional grasp of strategy and racecourse reading. They are well placed for a strong result.
Greer
Sligo siblings Jessica and Mark Greer have benefited from an exceptionally competitive club-racing scene.
Both have attended E. Howard-Davies Week and can regularly be found at the front of the fleet. Mark was also among a group of Sligo sailors coaching at Univela on Lake Garda, the venue set to host the class's next World Championship.
Henry / Geraghty
Niall Henry and Ossian Geraghty bring enormous experience of racing at the very front of the fleet.
There is little they do not know about GP14 sailing, and they are more than capable of showing the younger teams a thing or two. A new boat has displayed excellent pace at the recent Irish Championships, suggesting they will have moments of real brilliance during the Worlds.
Higgins / Clayton
Chris Higgins is a Mirror World Champion, having won the title in Australia in 2003, while Rory Clayton brings a calm and collected presence to the boat.
Another Royal North of Ireland Yacht Club pairing, they will look to use their local knowledge of Belfast Lough to gain an advantage over the fleet. They should perform strongly.
A Championship to Savour
Whatever happens, the 2026 GP14 World Championships promises exceptional racing across every fleet.
With international talent, Olympic experience, emerging youth sailors and invaluable local knowledge all coming together on Belfast Lough, spectators can look forward to one of the most competitive GP14 World Championships in recent memory.
The GP14 World Championships will take place from the 8th to 14th August at Royal North of Ireland Yacht Clun on Belfast Lough.
Event website: rniyc.org/gpworlds-2026-1-1