Flying Fifteen Northern Championships
Published 17:49 on 7 Sep 2026
Tense Finish at the Flying Fifteen Northern Championships
The Flying Fifteen Northern Championships hosted by Ullswater Yacht Club concluded as a fantastic success, providing competitors with a masterclass in tactical racing. Held over a weekend of highly challenging conditions, the fleet was tested by a wind that varied greatly in both its direction and raw strength.
Day One: Shifting Winds and Strategic Laps
The regatta kicked off smoothly, with the first race getting away cleanly from the start line. However, the capricious wind soon began to make its presence felt. The second race saw the fleet push too hard, resulting in the weekend's only general recall. Once the fleet finally got away, a significant wind veer forced race management to shorten the course.
In a creative adjustment to the shifting conditions, the third race was set directly across Ullswater. This layout produced four fast, short laps that compressed the fleet tightly together by the final leg, sparking an excellent mix of results and reshuffling the leaderboard. After a gruelling day on the water, competitors traded their lifejackets for evening wear, enjoying a fantastic, well-earned meal in the clubhouse.
Day Two: Down to the Wire
The second day proved even more mentally taxing for the crews. With the wind swirling from all directions, the Ullswater Yacht Club race management team had their work cut out for them, adjusting and changing the course several times to secure a fair line.
Their persistence paid off. Once a stable course was established and the starting gun fired, the fleet locked into fierce competition for the podium places. The entire regatta remained exceptionally close; during the final sail back to the clubhouse, intense discussions echoed between the boats as crews frantically calculated the points to figure out who had secured the title.
In the end, the math revealed just how tight the racing had been: only 1 single point separated the top four boats, with the entire Championship ultimately decided on the very last race.
Final Results
| Position | Sail Number | Helm / Crew | Club | Net Points |
| 1st | 4051 | Tony Woods & Innes Armstrong | Royal Windermere Yacht Club | 9.0 |
| 2nd | 4150 | Andy McKee & Richard Jones | Dovestone Sailing Club | 9.0 |
| 3rd | 3733 | Michael Preston & Mike Harris | Blackpool & Fleetwood Yacht Club | 10.0 |
Tony Woods and Innes Armstrong of the Royal Windermere Yacht Club clinched the overall victory in a breathtaking tie-breaker finish, matching Andy McKee and Richard Jones on 9 net points but sealing the title in the final race. Michael Preston and Mike Harris of Blackpool & Fleetwood Yacht Club secured a close third place overall with a final score of 10.0 net points. Full results available here: Flying Fifteen Northern Championships 2026 : Ullswater Yacht Club
Appreciation
A huge vote of thanks must go to the entire race organisation team, the shore team, and the hospitality crew at Ullswater Yacht Club. The dedicated volunteers worked incredibly hard over the whole weekend to ensure the event ran seamlessly despite theLast updated 17:49 on 7 September 2026