Optimist UK and Open National Championships
Published 11:20 on 26 Aug 2026
James Fox writes: Three ESC Optimist sailors made the 8½-hour journey north to Largs for the five-day Optimist UK and Open National Championships.
The weather could not have been more different from the South Coast heatwave. Full winter sailing gear was required on the water, with plenty of rain, medium to strong winds, and varied wind directions - no two days were the same.
Senior Main Fleet
Theo F and Zoey B both competed in the Main Fleet.
Monday to Wednesday comprised the qualifying series, with sailors split into two fleets. Seven races were sailed, with one discard, and scores carried forward into the finals racing. Theo put together an excellent qualifying series, including a race win, a third place and two further top ten finishes, leaving him inside the overall top ten and well-placed heading into Gold Fleet racing.
Zoey qualified for Silver Fleet in what is still her first season racing in the Main Fleet. Her confidence grew steadily throughout the week, reflected in improving results as the regatta progressed. She also relished the opportunity to sail in such a beautiful yet demanding venue.
On Thursday and Friday, the fleet split into Gold Fleet (top half) and Silver Fleet (bottom half) for the finals series. Five races were completed, with one discard available after five races had been sailed.
Theo delivered an outstanding Gold Fleet performance, finishing with the lowest overall score both with and without discard. He rounded off the championship with a race win and was able to discard a fourth-place finish. His results earned him the titles of British Open Junior Champion and UK Junior National Champion. He also finished 5th overall in the Senior Open Championships and 3rd overall in the Senior UK National Championships.
In total, Theo took home four trophies:
- British Open Junior Champion
- UK Junior National Champion
- 1st British Junior Boy
- 1st English Junior Boy
Theo said: "I am very proud to have won the junior national title and represent ESC. There are some really cool names on the trophies!"
Racing Regatta Fleet
Zachary F was ESC's sole representative in the Racing Regatta Fleet.
He enjoyed a fantastic week both on and off the water, mixing competitive racing with catching jellyfish, spotting dolphins and making full use of the candyfloss machine on a daily basis!
Despite the challenging conditions, Zachary sailed bravely throughout the week, completing 16 races. His highlight was an excellent second-place finish in one race, a well-deserved reward for his determination and hard work.