KYC Regatta Reports

2026-04-27 KYC U25 Women’s Team Competes at the Macnamara Bowl in Lymington, UK

KYC U25 Women’s Team Competes at the Macnamara Bowl in Lymington, UK

On April 25-27, Sam Mastel-Marr, Caleigh Styles, Zoe Mains, Phoebe Chalmers, and Anna Powick,  represented Kingston Yacht Club at the Macnamara Bowl Women’s Regatta, hosted by the Royal Lymington Yacht Club in Lymington, England.

The team arrived in England on Tuesday and settled in quickly with the generous support of Robert and Christina Weguelin, who welcomed the sailors into their home for the duration of the event. That evening, the team headed out for a shakedown sail to become familiar with the RS21s, provided by the RS21 Class.  

Strong winds  gusting 35 knots on Wednesday kept the team ashore, but the extra time gave everyone a chance to continue preparing for the regatta and explore the local area. After some boat work in the morning, the team spent a lovely afternoon exploring Bucklers Hard (and eating ice cream) with coach Robert. By Thursday, conditions had eased enough for more practice, followed by participation in Royal Lymington’s casual sixty five boat, two race committee Thursday night club racing. Racing in the eleven boat RS21 fleet and dealing with significant tidal current for the first time was a major learning experience for many members of the team (the windward mark was very soft and bouncy don’t worry). Although results did not always go their way, the sailors gained valuable experience in challenging and unfamiliar conditions.

Friday’s practice races provided another water session to improve boat handling and teamwork ahead of the main event. Competing against an extremely strong fleet, including eight Olympians spread across ten boats, highlighted both the level of the competition and the opportunity the regatta presented for growth and learning. Supported on the water throughout the week by Robert and Christina, in a rib provided by a member of the Vines family, the team continued to build confidence and familiarity with the boats and conditions.

The official racing began on Saturday in Christchurch Bay after the fleet was towed out from the river due to a lack of wind. The bay provided excellent racing conditions, with steady breeze and consistent tide across the course creating tactical and physically demanding racing. Throughout the day, the team continued to improve with each race, gaining confidence and valuable experience competing in a world-class fleet.

Sunday brought more difficult conditions, with shifting breeze and stronger tide, but the team approached the final races with significantly more confidence and composure than at the beginning of the week. While the results sheet may not fully reflect the progress made, the experience of racing against some of the top women sailors in the sport was invaluable. By the end of the event, the team had developed considerably as sailors and as a crew.

Overall, the Macnamara Bowl was an incredible learning experience and an opportunity the team is extremely grateful to have had. Beyond the racing itself, the sailors built connections, gained exposure to a new style of sailing, and learned lessons that will continue to benefit them moving forward on the water and in life.

The team would like to sincerely thank the Royal Lymington Yacht Club for hosting such an outstanding event, as well as the RS21 Class UK & Ireland for their technical support and assistance throughout the regatta. A huge thank you also to everyone at Kingston Yacht Club for the encouragement, logistical assistance and financial support that helped make the trip possible.  Wind Athletes also played a vital role in collecting funds (and providing tax receipts).  The team is especially grateful to Sam Mastel Marr for coordinating our team and to Glenn Warner for his support with the entry, charter arrangements, and RS21 expertise.

Finally, special thanks go to Robert and Christina Weguelin for their incredible generosity, hospitality, and support throughout the entire week. Their kindness and commitment to helping the team reflects the strength of the KYC community and played a huge role in making this opportunity possible.

Results for the event can be found here: Sailwave results for Macnamara's Bowl at Royal Lymington Yacht Club 2026 rlymyc.org.uk