Pathfinder Homes B14 National Championship 2026 at Mumbles Yacht Club - Form Guide
by Lucy Loughton 20 Aug 16:09 BST
21-23 August 2026
Pathfinder Homes B14 European and Global Championships at Torbay Day 3 © Royal Torbay Yacht Club
The B14 fleet heads west this weekend for the Pathfinder Homes National Championships at Mumbles Yacht Club. Following an excellent season and a Global Championship in Torbay that produced close racing across the fleet, the class now turns its attention to the battle for the National title.
Nine races are scheduled over three days in the waters off Swansea Bay, a venue that can provide anything from champagne sea-breeze sailing to survival conditions. Mumbles has a habit of rewarding teams that can adapt quickly, with strong tidal influences and changing conditions often producing plenty of snakes-and-ladders racing.
With several of the class's leading teams in attendance, there is no obvious favourite. The Torbay results demonstrated just how competitive the fleet currently is, with different teams showing race-winning pace throughout the season.
So, who should we be watching?
Squirrel GBR 774 - Paul Roberts / Lucy Loughton - Starcross YC
The defending Global Championship-winning hull arrives in Mumbles with a new helm. Whilst this combination is untested at championship level, the boat has already demonstrated winning pace this season and will be one to watch if Paul and Lucy settle quickly.
PSB Repairs GBR 798 - James Gardner / Anne Gardner - HISC
One of the fleet's most consistent teams. Their ability to minimise mistakes and score well across a range of conditions makes them a strong contender for a podium finish.
Seavolution / North Sails GBR 799 - Mark Barnes / Jack Kilburn - Whitstable YC
Inland Champions, multiple TT winners and fourth at the Global Championship, Barnes and Kilburn have been among the quickest teams all season. A clean series could put them firmly in contention for the title.
Harken GBR 801 - Nick Craig / Pete Gray - Frensham Pond & Burghfield
Whenever Nick Craig enters an event he starts among the favourites. Fresh from European Championship success in Torbay, expect this experienced pairing to be at the sharp end from the opening race.
Ceto GBR 775 - Ben Cutler-Sharp / Tesni King - Starcross YC
A strong Global Championship performance underlined their pace and consistency. Another Starcross team capable of challenging for podium places if they can convert opportunities into race-winning scores.
Captain's Bunk GBR 770 - Simon Hadley / Nikki Hadley - Whitstable YC
A hugely experienced husband-and-wife team who remain among the fleet's most popular competitors. Their consistency and ability to keep posting good scores means they are never far from the front and could well feature prominently as the championship unfolds.
Leaky Pipes GBR 786 - Geraldine Fermor / Leaky Fermor - Mote Park
Another husband-and-wife team and one of the dark horses of the fleet. They showed genuine front-running pace at Torbay and, if they avoid costly scores, are capable of troubling the established favourites.
Prediction
Trying to pick a winner from this fleet is far from straightforward. If Mumbles delivers a mixture of conditions, consistency may prove more important than outright speed. The team lifting the National Championship trophy on Sunday evening is likely to be the one that avoids the big mistakes rather than the one that wins the most races.
What is certain is that the fleet is arriving in excellent form, and with nine races scheduled, there should be plenty of action both on the water and in the bar afterwards.
Let battle commence.