WASZP UK National Championship 2026 at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy
by WASZP UK Class Association 4 Aug 08:35 BST
30 July – 2 August 2026
Race start during the WASZP UK Nationals at the WPNSA © James Tomlinson Photography
“Wey-biza” turned it on for the WASZP fleet this summer. Across four days at the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, the 2026 WASZP UK Nationals served up warm sunshine, breeze in every flavour from steady to spicy gusts, and eleven races of foiling so close that positions were still swapping at the final mark of the regatta — even if the fourth and final day had other ideas.
The fleet raced as one, with the full entry sent round the same course before the results were rescored into 7.5m and 8.2m rig divisions. It made for a brilliant spectacle: teenagers, veterans and everyone in between mixing it up on the same water, then each rig getting its own championship to chase.
Day One — settling into the groove
The regatta opened in the Harbour with a consistent 10-14 knot breeze that was just about perfect for getting the week under way. Four windward-leewards gave the fleet a clean, honest test, rewarding clear lanes and clever lay lines. Max Rawlinson came out with a bang, taking the first bullet of the event, with James Deaton in second followed closely by Oscar Hoyle in third. Toby Smith, Ben Whaley and Thomas Dempsey found their pace and took the podiums for Race 2. Ben Harris flew to the front for Race 3 and Alex Jones took the final bullet of the day with Thomas Dempsey on their heels in second.
In the 7.5m division scoring, Oscar Hoyle took four straight bullets; second places were fought over by Imogen Green, Harry O’Callaghan, Raffy Seddon and Stella Nygard. Helena Mills Bowers was close behind taking an array of podium positions on the water.
Day Two — epic stuff
Day Two turned the dial up. A steady 15 knots with punchy gusts nudging into the 20s made for genuinely epic conditions. The race team served up two fast “NASCAR” races to get the adrenaline pumping — high-speed, high-commitment stuff that had the fleet flat out and grinning. Toby Smith and Thomas Dempsey traded bullets and Max Rawlinson was close on their heels. The 7.5m fleet battles heated up too, Raffy Seddon trading bullets with Oscar Hoyle while Helena Mills Bowers joined the fight for the podium. Then came the long-distance race, the centrepiece of the day, won by Toby Smith with James Broad sailing an incredible race and timing a lovely lift on the second beat to carve his way through to take second place. It was the kind of race that reminds everyone why the WASZP long-distance format is such a favourite.
Day Three — glamour in the bay
The third day was pure glamour. Out in the bay the sun was out, the breeze was steady with the odd gust to keep everyone honest, with a few bumps building on the waves towards the end. Four more windward-leewards decided it. Toby Smith stayed in the podium positions for all four races, fighting hard against Max Rawlinson, Alex Jones and Ben Whaley who all took a 1st place position. Louis Voss topped off a solid event to finish his last race on the podium in third position. Racing in the 7.5m fleet was as close as it got all week, with places being fought for all the way to the last mark. Raffy Seddon took the first bullet and Stella Nygard the second. Helena Mills Bowers fought for podium positions throughout, but the last two races saw Oscar Hoyle take the wins, with Stella closely behind in second.
Day Four — waiting on the wind
The final day had the makings of a grandstand finish, but the breeze had other plans. Racing was postponed as the fleet and race team waited patiently ashore and afloat for the wind to fill in. Sadly it never did. With no sign of a workable breeze, racing was abandoned for the day, leaving the standings from the first three days to stand and the champions to be crowned.
The results
At the front of the fleet, it was Toby Smith who came out on top to take the men’s overall title, with Thomas Dempsey second and Max Rawlinson third after some seriously tight racing across the fleet, where every step of the podium was earned the hard way.
The women’s overall title was hotly contested with only one point separating first and second. In the end it was Stella Nygard who sailed away with the overall title and the crown of Women’s National Champion, with Helena Mills Bowers second and Imogen Green third.
In the 7.5m men’s division, 14-year-old Oscar Hoyle was crowned National Champion with a string of podium finishes throughout the event. Second went to Raffy Seddon, whose quality racing across the event made for a great title battle.
Green Fleet
Special mention goes to the Green Fleet, where ten sailors ranging from teenagers to the over-60s spent the event building their foiling skills and, by the end, were getting out for some Main Fleet racing in the bay. To go from confidence-building to racing with the fleet in a matter of days is no small thing, and every one of them should be proud. Super impressive stuff.
Ashore
The racing was only half the fun. The socials kept the evenings every bit as busy as the days on the water, with a proper mix to keep everyone fed and watered: fish and chips down on Chesil Beach, a pizza night, a competitive pub quiz and a burrito night rounding things off. It’s the off-the-water stuff as much as the foiling that keeps this fleet coming back, and Weymouth delivered on both fronts.
A championship to remember
Three days, eleven races, glorious conditions and racing that stayed tight to the very last mark — the WASZP Nationals delivered the full experience once again. Thanks to Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy and the race team for a superb championship. Roll on the Welsh Champs in Bala on 22-23 August. See you there!
Results Summary:
Overall Men
1 Toby Smith — Men’s National Champion
2 Thomas Dempsey
3 Max Rawlinson
Overall Women
1 Stella Nygard — Women’s National Champion
2 Helena Mills Bowers
3 Imogen Green
7.5m Rig National Champion
1 Oscar Hoyle
Top Supermaster (50+)
1 Daniel Goodman
Top Master (30+)
1 Peter Hoyle
Top Core (21-29)
1 Ben Whaley
Top Youth (U21)
1 Henry Keegan
Overall Results: (separate 7.5 and 8.2 Rig results can be found here)
