2026 UK Flying Fifteen National Championship – Final Report
Competitors at the 2026 UK Flying Fifteen National Championship woke to clear, sunny skies on the final morning — though some may have wished for a little more sleep after an evening of live music at Tees & Hartlepool YC and a late‑night screening of the England–Norway World Cup match.
After several days of light and occasionally capricious breezes, the forecast promised a more purposeful wind. It was noticeable that the shorty wetsuits and T‑shirts that had been de rigueur earlier in the week had given way to long‑johns and, for some, full drysuits. With a short delay ashore to allow the tide to settle, the fleet headed out into a race area transformed by a fresh north‑easterly rolling a moderate swell in from the North Sea.
The race team once again delivered an efficient start sequence, and the fleet once again responded with a general recall — prompting the use of the black flag for the remainder of the day. Once underway, Race 1 quickly revealed a clear pattern: almost all of the leading contenders committed to the right‑hand side of the beat, where they found both pressure and a favourable angle, opening a substantial margin over those who had gone left. The fleet stretched out more than on previous days, reflecting both the conditions and the tactical clarity of the front‑runners.
Downwind, the course rewarded those who committed early to a long starboard gybe, with just enough swell to allow occasional surfing or soaking. It was a leg that showcased crew skill, and at the front it was the regatta leaders — Ian Cadwallader & Steve Graham — who executed it best, taking the win ahead of Andy & Michelle Tunnicliffe, with the Irish pairing of Niall O’Brien & Dermot Flaherty in third.
Final Race
The final race of the championship was sailed in conditions very similar to the previous one, but with a fleet now fully tuned into the racecourse and pushing hard for every point. The result was exceptionally close, high‑quality racing in which even small tactical decisions carried real consequences — whether fighting the tide at the windward mark or judging the final reach to the finish, which was just tight enough to make spinnaker‑handling a genuine question.
In a race that demanded composure, precision and teamwork, Jeremy Davy & Martin Huett mastered the challenge to take a well‑earned win, followed by Steve Goacher & Tim Harper, who bounced back strongly after a difficult first race. Andy & Michelle Tunnicliffe continued their impressive upward trajectory, securing third and cementing their rise up the overall leaderboard.
Overall Results
At the head of the final standings — and crowned 2026 Flying Fifteen National Champions — were Ian Cadwallader & Steve Graham of Chew Valley SC, finishing with a ten‑point margin. Their achievement was all the more remarkable given that their boat was fresh out of the build shed and had never touched the water before this event.
In second place was 4-time World Champion Steve Goacher & Tim Harper of Royal Windermere YC. With decades of top‑level Flying Fifteen experience between them, their return to the front of the fleet after a short break was warmly welcomed. They were racing in a notably strong field, with former champions and long‑standing campaigners — a depth of talent that made consistency hard‑won. Against such competition, their steady performance across the week secured a thoroughly deserved second place overall.
Finishing third overall were Andy & Michelle Tunnicliffe of Bassenthwaite SC. Andy is now establishing himself in the class, but this was Michelle’s first major Flying Fifteen regatta — a milestone performance securing the Family Prize and the Dimple Trophy for Michelle
Acknowledgement of Sponsors
The Flying Fifteen class extends its sincere thanks to our title sponsor Haven Knox‑Johnston, whose support as the class insurer continues to strengthen and sustain our championship programme. We also warmly acknowledge Ovington Boats for their long‑standing commitment to high‑quality boatbuilding within the class, and Impact Marine for their valued technical and event support. Their combined contribution plays a significant role in enabling a vibrant, competitive and welcoming national championship.
Closing Thanks
Finally, our heartfelt thanks go to Tees & Hartlepool Yacht Club for hosting the event with such professionalism and warmth. The club’s volunteers worked tirelessly to make competitors feel welcome and to ensure the racing ran smoothly throughout the week. The Flying Fifteen fleet thoroughly enjoyed its time in Hartlepool and will certainly be back for more of your hospitality — and we strongly recommend THYC to any class seeking a tidal championship venue in the North East. Thank you.
Final Results
| Rank |
Fleet |
SailNo |
HelmName |
CrewName |
Club |
R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
R4 |
R5 |
R6 |
Total |
Nett |
| 1st |
Red |
4152 |
Ian Cadwallader |
Steve Graham |
Chew Valley Lake SC |
1.0 |
3.0 |
5.0 |
3.0 |
1.0 |
(6.0) |
19.0 |
13.0 |
| 2nd |
Red |
4021 |
Steve Goacher |
Tim Harper |
Royal Windermere YC |
10.0 |
5.0 |
2.0 |
4.0 |
(16.0) |
2.0 |
39.0 |
23.0 |
| 3rd |
Red |
4124 |
Andy Tunnicliffe |
Michelle Tunnicliffe |
Bassenthwaite SC |
6.0 |
9.0 |
4.0 |
(19.0) |
2.0 |
3.0 |
43.0 |
24.0 |
| 4th |
Red |
3760 |
Jeremy Davy |
Martin Huett |
Draycote Water SC |
2.0 |
(13.0) |
6.0 |
12.0 |
5.0 |
1.0 |
39.0 |
26.0 |
| 5th |
Red |
4071 |
John Lavery |
Alan Green |
National YC |
3.0 |
1.0 |
11.0 |
10.0 |
(14.0) |
7.0 |
46.0 |
32.0 |
| 6th |
Red |
4092 |
Niall O'Brien |
Dermot Flaherty |
FFC |
4.0 |
4.0 |
(20.0) |
11.0 |
3.0 |
15.0 |
57.0 |
37.0 |
| 7th |
Red |
4143 |
Charles Apthorp |
Charlie Apthorp |
Hayling Island SC |
5.0 |
12.0 |
(13.0) |
1.0 |
10.0 |
12.0 |
53.0 |
40.0 |
| 8th |
Green |
4109 |
David Chandler |
Charles Chandler |
Ullswater SC |
(23.0) |
6.0 |
8.0 |
9.0 |
6.0 |
14.0 |
66.0 |
43.0 |
| 9th |
Green |
3892 |
Emma Pierce |
Ian Smyth |
Strangford Lough YC |
18.0 |
2.0 |
(19.0) |
8.0 |
9.0 |
9.0 |
65.0 |
46.0 |
| 10th |
Red |
4142 |
Philippa Packer |
Dean McAullay |
Royal Freshwater Bay YC |
14.0 |
8.0 |
9.0 |
13.0 |
(23.0) |
5.0 |
72.0 |
49.0 |
| 11th |
Blue |
4069 |
Bill Chard |
Josh Preater |
Chew Valley Lake SC |
7.0 |
(23.0) |
3.0 |
7.0 |
15.0 |
23.0 |
78.0 |
55.0 |
| 12th |
Blue |
4033 |
Justin Waples |
Jackie McKellar |
RCYC |
11.0 |
17.0 |
17.0 |
5.0 |
7.0 |
(31.0 RET) |
88.0 |
57.0 |
| 13th |
Blue |
3733 |
Mike Preston |
Mike Harris |
Blackpool & Fleetwood YC |
8.0 |
(31.0 DSQ) |
1.0 |
14.0 |
19.0 |
18.0 |
91.0 |
60.0 |
| 14th |
Blue |
4130 |
Adrian Tattersall |
John Mathie |
Parkstone YC |
16.0 |
7.0 |
(24.0) |
6.0 |
22.0 |
10.0 |
85.0 |
61.0 |
| 15th |
Blue |
4151 |
Tony Woods |
Keith Jamieson |
RWYC |
(24.0) |
22.0 |
23.0 |
2.0 |
4.0 |
13.0 |
88.0 |
64.0 |
| 16th |
Blue |
4030 |
Alastair Stevenson |
Simon Hunt |
Hayling Island SC |
12.0 |
11.0 |
18.0 |
(20.0) |
13.0 |
11.0 |
85.0 |
65.0 |
| 17th |
Blue |
4123 |
David Heron |
Michele Kay |
Royal Windermere YC |
15.0 |
15.0 |
15.0 |
(18.0) |
18.0 |
4.0 |
85.0 |
67.0 |
| 18th |
Red |
4141 |
Chris Waples |
Simon Weatherill |
HISC / RCYC |
17.0 |
18.0 |
(21.0) |
16.0 |
8.0 |
8.0 |
88.0 |
67.0 |
| 19th |
Blue |
3849 |
Ewan Birkin-Walls |
Stan Birkin-Walls |
Grafham Water SC |
9.0 |
16.0 |
14.0 |
(22.0) |
12.0 |
21.0 |
94.0 |
72.0 |
| 20th |
Green |
3865 |
Robin Dawson |
Mike Cowan |
Bassenthwaite SC |
19.0 |
21.0 |
7.0 |
15.0 |
17.0 |
(25.0) |
104.0 |
79.0 |
| 21st |
Green |
4091 |
Jeremy Arnold |
Richard Hope |
Draycote Water SC / RYA |
20.0 |
10.0 |
12.0 |
17.0 |
20.0 |
(22.0) |
101.0 |
79.0 |
| 22nd |
Blue |
4113 |
Simon Kneller |
Ashley Painter |
Grafham Water SC |
21.0 |
20.0 |
22.0 |
(24.0) |
11.0 |
16.0 |
114.0 |
90.0 |
| 23rd |
Blue |
4103 |
Julian Clarke |
John Walters |
Royal Windermere YC |
22.0 |
19.0 |
16.0 |
21.0 |
(26.0) |
20.0 |
124.0 |
98.0 |
| 24th |
Blue |
4148 |
Simon Patterson |
Simon Thompson |
Draycote Water SC |
13.0 |
24.0 |
(27.0) |
23.0 |
21.0 |
19.0 |
127.0 |
100.0 |
| 25th |
Green |
3944 |
Wayne Fletcher |
Jess Roberts |
Scaling Dam SC / Bassenthwaite SC |
(26.0) |
14.0 |
25.0 |
25.0 |
25.0 |
17.0 |
132.0 |
106.0 |
| 26th |
Green |
4060 |
Tim Allen |
Iain McNeill |
Dovestones SC |
(27.0) |
25.0 |
10.0 |
27.0 |
27.0 |
26.0 |
142.0 |
115.0 |
| 27th |
Green |
3751 |
Peter Warne |
Graham Wilson |
Northampton SC |
25.0 |
26.0 |
26.0 |
(28.0) |
24.0 |
24.0 |
153.0 |
125.0 |
| 28th |
Green |
3829 |
Ian Shaw |
Perry Shaw |
Notts County SC |
(29.0) |
27.0 |
29.0 |
26.0 |
28.0 |
27.0 |
166.0 |
137.0 |
| 29th |
Green |
3634 |
Nick Richardson |
Graeme Boagey |
Tees & Hartlepool YC |
28.0 |
28.0 |
28.0 |
(29.0) |
29.0 |
28.0 |
170.0 |
141.0 |
| 30th |
Green |
419 |
Mick Scholes |
Jordan Cunningham |
Dovestone SC |
(30.0) |
29.0 |
30.0 |
30.0 |
30.0 |
29.0 |
178.0 |
148.0 |