Royal Hospital School's Sailing Team Celebrates Exceptional Summer of Success
by Royal Hospital School 10 Aug 18:16 UTC
BSDRA International Team Racing Championships at Alton Water © RHS
Royal Hospital School (RHS), in Holbrook, Suffolk, is celebrating following a remarkable series of sailing victories and strong performances at national and international sailing events this summer.
The sailing season kicked off with the Junior National Schools Championship at Itchenor Sailing Club in West Itchenor, England, from 22-24th June. RHS fielded six junior sailors, with boats placing 8th, 24th and 27th out of 85, a promising result in a highly competitive fleet.
From 25-27th June, RHS' senior sailors delivered a commanding performance at the Senior Schools National Championship, also held at Itchenor. RHS entered 14 sailors across seven boats, securing outstanding results with finishes of 1st, 5th, 8th, 11th, 21st, 29th, and 41st out of 81 competitors. A special congratulations was given to Toby Smith and Harriet George, who claimed first place overall, with Toby winning the championship for the second consecutive year.
RHS were also awarded the team prize for the best overall school performance.
From 29th June to 1st July, RHS hosted the British Schools Dinghy Racing Association (BSDRA) International Team Racing Championships at Alton Water, delivering what many have called one of the best school sailing events ever. Nearly 250 sailors competed in 579 races over two and a half days—an extraordinary achievement of organisation, sportsmanship, and stamina.
RHS teams performed strongly across both the Feva (under 16) and Firefly (under 19) classes:
- Feva Teams finished 5th, 9th, and 14th out of 17.
- Firefly Teams finished 2nd and 12th out of 26.
In the premier Firefly class, the RHS Falcons soared through the Swiss League with 19 wins from 22 races, finishing 3rd before triumphing in the semi-final against the visiting Tabor Seawolves from the USA. In a thrilling final against long-time rivals Rutland Rockets, the Falcons narrowly missed out in the deciding third race, finishing as runners-up and earning the prestigious Whitstable Trophy for the top-ranked school team. This event marked the final regatta for several of RHS' talented Year 13 sailors.
Ed Sibson, Director of Sailing at RHS, commented on the recent successes, saying: "We're incredibly proud of all our sailors for their commitment, resilience, and teamwork throughout this season. The recent successes at Itchenor and the BSDRA Championships are a testament to the hard work of our pupils, the dedication of our coaching team, and the support from the wider school community. These results reflect the strength of our sailing programme and the spirit of excellence we strive for at RHS."