Eric Twiname Championships: NI Sailing Team Junior Teams’ first 2025 event outside Ireland

14 of the Junior NI Sailing Team made the trip to Rutland Water over the bank holiday weekend to compete in the Prestigious Eric Twiname Championships, accompanied by NI Sailing Team coach Luke McIlwaine as Topper and ILCA Course Lead Coach and Performance Manager Andrew Baker as Event Director.

The Eric Twiname Junior Championships is regatta for junior sailors supported by the Eric Twiname Trust.

The Trust was set up in 1980 to perpetuate the memory of Eric Twiname. Eric, a man of many talents, was a national champion across a range of classes but unfortunately died at a young age.

The 2025 Eric Twiname Championships

This year’s 37th edition of the event, organised by the RYA, was a three-day multi-class championship ran across 2 course areas, trialling some new race formats.

All sailors who are in a home country program or the English Topper Regional Training Groups are invited by their respective performance manager to sail an RS Tera (Pro or Sport), Topper, RS Feva, ILCA 4 or Optimist to compete in this event.

For 2025 the race management trialled different race formats that are innovative and excite people. These different race formats also create new learning opportunities for the sailors that will help their long-term development. This initiative is in line with World Sailing’s development for the sport.

Saturday’s racing took place in sunshine and 12-15 knots of breeze. All courses achieved 5 races of the ‘Long Course’ format (20 – 30 minute trapezoid courses). Adam Green of Lough Erne got the event underway in the Topper Fleet with 4 race wins and came ashore as the overnight leader, with clubmate Ben McCaldin also well amongst the top runners.

In other classes, sailors had shaky starts. Emily Mcafee of Ballyholme showed good form with a 3rd in race 3 but also counted a score that would end up being among her discards. The Feva Girls had consistent top tens but a DSQ for Sally and Jessica in race 4 used up one of their discards also.

After a strong series of races from day one, the race management had the opportunity to trial some new formats.

Session one (morning) had he competitors’ short course racing. Rolling starts and 10-minute target times created higher demand on boat handling and tactics. When running according to plan this format could achieve 4 races per class in 90 minutes. That’s 20+ races! Not for the faint of hearted race committees.

Monday was the third and final day of racing. With strong winds well into the 20 knots at times, 4 long courses were achieved.

This became a test of attrition as sailors started to retire throughout the day. NI Sailors stuck it out and continued to perform. Emily Mcafee in the ILCA class started the day well with her first win of the series but would come in as 3^rd Girl overall.

Adam, despite recording the lowest total score had to settle for 4^th overall as the discards saved some of his competitors. Ben also hung onto a top ten finish overall.

Sally and Jessica achieved 1^st Girls in the Feva Class with club mates Polly Robinson and Sophie Cairns 3^rd Girls.

Hammy’s thoughts

Reflecting on the event, RYA Northern Ireland Performance Manager, Andrew Baker (Hammy), said: “What a weekend! I was privileged to work with a fantastic team from across the RYA family to deliver this event. It is up there with one of the hardest to run but one of the most fulfilling when the job’s done.

“I am pleased with our sailors and the community we have at the junior level. I could always overhear the guys talking tactics and holding nothing back as they try to inspire and support one another, great to see.

“The event itself is our way of pushing sailing forward for this generation. It is designed to give young sailors the feel for how multi-class events is run, which may be the precursor to future events, like the Youth Nationals and other national and international.

“The aim was to make this event educational and a positive learning experience. Coaches and judges were on hand to help sailors with briefings each morning in the dinghy park.”

Event Results

ILCA 4

• Emily Mcafee – 3^rd Girl (5^th Overall)

1 Race win

Topper

• Adam Green – 4^th

4 Race wins

• Ben McCladin – 10^th

1 Race Win

• Leo West-Hurst – 23^rd

1 Race Win

• James Eadie – 27^th

• Alex Eadie – 8^th Girl (30^th Overall)

1 Race Win

• Emma Westhurst – 14^th Girl (42^nd Overall)

• Charlie Haslett – 71^st

RS Feva

• Jessica Dadley & Young & Sally Nixon – 1^st Girls (8^th overall)

• Polly Robinson & Sophie Cairns – 3^rd Girls (12^th Overall)

• Ellie Nolan & Niamh Coman – 5^th Girls (14^th Overall)

Check out the full results here.