Category: News

The start of the new series has begun! Some competitors were able to secure their overall regatta victories with just two morning races needed.

Grey skies and fickle breeze met the Rollesby sailors for their Frostbite Open Regatta this Sunday the 1st of February, creating a challenging but engaging day of racing for the 21 dinghies. A light and shifting easterly breeze made boat speed and tactical awareness crucial, with both fleets enjoying some close racing throughout the courses.

In Race 1, the multi‑sail fleet set off in light airs, with six Wayfarers forming the majority of the fleet. David Houghton (Wayfarer) managed to break clear to secure the opening win, followed by Tony Fulford (Comet Trio) in second and Ed Anderson (Wayfarer) third. The single‑sail fleet, with their variety of classes, saw the faster boats initially pull ahead. However, they were unable to gain enough distance to protect their leads on corrected time. This allowed Ian Ayres (Solo), who stayed consistently close to the front, to take the victory. Ellie Edwards (Splash) finished second, while Jack Ibbotson (Finn), first across the line, placed third on handicap.

A revised course greeted competitors for Race 2. The multi‑sail fleet again produced tight racing, with Houghton (Wayfarer) repeating his strong performance to claim a second win. Howard Asterly‑Jones (RSVareo) took second, and Mike McNamara (Wayfarer) finished third. With two race wins, Houghton secured the overall multi‑sail title. In the single‑sail fleet, Ayres (Solo) and Ibbotson (Finn) broke away early, creating a large gap over the rest of the fleet which was led by Kevin Edwards (Solo). Ayres delivered a commanding performance to win the race and seal the overall single‑sail victory. Edwards finished second, with Ibbotson again third on corrected time.

With both overall fleet winners decided, only sailors still competing for second and third places returned to the water after lunch. Strengthening and shifting winds required another course change. In the multi‑sail fleet, Fulford (Comet Trio) and Chris Foster (Wayfarer) battled closely before Fulford pulled ahead to win. In the single‑sail fleet, Kevin Edwards (Solo) established an early lead and extended it throughout to take the win. Ellie Edwards (Splash) placed second, with Kevin Postlethwaite (Solo) third.

Overall Results – Multi-Sail Fleet:

1. Wayfarer – David Houghton & John Simmonds (2pts)
2. Comet Trio – Tony Fulford (3pts)
3. Wayfarer – Chris Foster & Chris Codling (6pts)

Helm Name	Boat Class	R1	R2	R3	Points
Houghton	Wayfarer	1	1	DNS	2
Fulford	Comet Trio	2	5	1	3
Foster	Wayfarer	5	4	2	6
McNamara	Wayfarer	4	3	DNS	7
Asterly-Jones	RS Vareo	8	2	DNS	10
Anderson	Wayfarer	3	7	DNS	10
Thomas	Wayfarer	6	6	DNS	12
Sparrow	Wayfarer	7	8	DNS	15

Overall Results – Single-Sail Fleet:

1. Solo – Ian Ayres (2pts)
2. Solo – Kevin Edwards (3pts)
3. Splash – Ellie Edwards (4pts)

Helm Name	Boat Class	R1	R2	R3	Points
Ayres	Solo	1	1	DNS	2
K. Edwards	Solo	4	2	1	3
E. Edwards	Splash	2	8	2	4
Ibbotson	Finn	3	3	DNS	6
Postlethwaite	Solo	7	5	3	8
Bull	Laser	8	4	DNS	12
Leigh	OK	6	7	DNS	13
Alison	Harrier	10	9	4	13
Watson	Zenith	9	6	DNS	15
Steele	Solution	12	11	5	16
Foley	Solution	11	10	DNS	21
Highfield	RSAero 7	5	DNS	DNS	DNQ
Harlow	Phantom	DNS	12	DNS	DNQ

Bonus Content! You may have seen or heard about the current ‘trend’ online where people are revisiting 2016. They have been looking back and finding their memories of what things were like 10 years ago. At Rollesby we have our amazing photo gallery on Flickr that makes this possible!

Feb 7th 2016 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/rollesbybroadsc/albums/72157664728525661/with/24777527639

Jan 31st 2016 – https://www.flickr.com/photos/rollesbybroadsc/albums/72157664464856996/with/24847639211

Both weeks 10 years ago look a lot windier than what we had last Sunday for the Regatta! Hopefully you can spot a few familiar faces in the albums linked above.

Report By – Ellie Edwards

After two weeks of no sailing due to a frozen broad since the New Year’s Day Regatta, a break in the weather last week was just what the sailors needed. 

Nineteen dinghies returned to Rollesby last Sunday (18th of January). Sailors launched into light easterly winds and lingering mist for a committee‑boat start, with several misjudging the long run to the line!

Race 1 delivered tight competition across both fleets. In the multi‑sail fleet, Tony Fulford in his Comet Trio led throughout to take the win on the water and on corrected time. Howard Asterly‑Jones (RSVareo) followed closely in second, while David Houghton (Wayfarer) secured third. The single‑sail fleet saw Chris Barker (Laser/ILCA 7) establish an early lead, though Solo sailors Ian Ayres and John Saddington had a close battle with the mid-fleet. Corrected times revealed just a 20‑second gap between Barker and Ayres, with Saddington third. Junior sailor Dalton impressed in his Topper, finishing sixth on handicap.

By Race 2 the breeze had strengthened, drawing even more boats to the line. The multi‑sail results mirrored Race 1 exactly: Fulford first, Asterly‑Jones second, and Houghton third. In the single‑sail fleet, Roger Wilson (Streaker) took advantage of the fresher wind to claim the win, while Saddington and Ayres resumed their close rivalry. This time Saddington edged ahead into second with Ayres taking third.

A moderate Easterly breeze kicked off racing at Rollesby this Sunday (25th of January) and eighteen dinghies took to the water in shifty, testing conditions. Today there was particularly close competition, with mere seconds separating the top three finishers.

For Race 1, five Wayfarers engaged in tight class racing throughout. David Houghton led the Wayfarers and managed to stay just ahead of Mike McNamara, while Chris Foster secured third. In the single‑sail fleet, the faster boats quickly separated from the main pack. Darren Pike (Phantom) established an early lead and maintained it on corrected time. Roger Wilson (Streaker) claimed second with Ellie Edwards (Splash) third.

Race 2 brought another close contest among the five Wayfarers. McNamara and Houghton fought a prolonged duel at the front until Houghton capsized around half-way through. McNamara capitalised, extending his lead to take a comfortable win. Houghton recovered swiftly to finish third on the water, later moving up to second place on corrected time, with Tony Fulford (Comet Trio) taking third. The single‑sail fleet saw fewer position changes, again with the faster boats getting clear. Phil Highfield (RSAero 7) broke away early but slipped to third on handicap. Wilson (Streaker) secured the win by a narrow two‑second margin over Edwards (Splash).

That concludes the Winter Series for 2025-26 and results will be finalised here in due course – https://www.rbsc.org.uk/race-results/2025-26-results/. Don’t forget that we have the Frostbite Open Regatta kicking off the start of the new series next week. Visitors always welcome so tell your friends to come along and enjoy some competitive racing!

Report By – Ellie Edwards

New Year’s Day Open Regatta 2026 – Race Report 

17 sailors competed at Rollesby Broad Sailing Club in their New Year’s Day Open Regatta, a traditional fixture in the Norfolk winter sailing calendar. A gusty westerly wind confronted the dinghies, creating some challenging conditions.  

In Race 1, Phil and Henrietta Highfield got out of the blocks best in their RS200, and together with Chris Bunn (Solo) and Chris Foster (Wayfarer), these three boats broke clear of the fleet. Bunn took a comfortable win on handicap and Ellie Edwards (Splash) stayed close enough to take second, Foster finished third just 16 seconds behind Edwards on corrected-time.  

For Race 2, the marks were adjusted as the wind shifted. Bunn led the way at the windward mark, closely followed by Roger Wilson (Streaker) and Howard Astley-Jones (Vareo). Astley-Jones took line honours but was knocked into second on handicap by Bunn, with Wilson taking third but again all very close on corrected-time. 

After some warming up in the club house and a change of course, Race 3 saw Daniel Bull (Laser/ILCA 7) powering ahead up the first beat. By Lap 2 he had been pulled back, and most of the fleet were very close together. Chris Barker (Laser Radial/ILCA 6) took the win in, just seconds ahead of Wilson (Streaker) and closely followed by Edwards (Splash) in third.  

Thanks were extended to the Race Officers, Safety Team and Catering who enabled a good day of close, competitive racing for all. Chris Bunn was the overall winner, counting two firsts from the morning races. Bunn was also the only visitor and represented Snowflake Sailing Club. Full Regatta Results are available on this link here, plus more photos of the event online on our Flickr Page.  

Report By – Ellie Edwards

On the 30th of August 2025, Rollesby Broad Sailing Club hosted the 31st Broadland Youth regatta. The event brought together eight sailing clubs across Norfolk and Suffolk, providing the youth sailors with the opportunity to showcase their skills in a day of racing and competing with each other.

For the first time ever, Rollesby Broad hosted the regatta, providing a safe, enclosed, and welcoming environment for the event. The Rollesby Broad Sailing Club has been a hub for sailing for the past 53 years, taking pride in the racing opportunities and competitiveness it offers its members, from grassroots to the present day. By hosting the Broadland Youth Regatta, the club showcased the valuable experience and racing cultivated at Rollesby.

Despite the earlier threat of Hurricane Erin, the day turned out to be filled with uninterrupted sunshine and steady south-westerly winds, creating perfect racing conditions on Rollesby Broad.

Ninety competitors turned out on the day, with a fleet of 80 boats taking to the water in a series of 16 races. As with previous Broadland Youth Regattas, there was a wide range of experience and skill levels of the competitors, varying in age from 7 to 19, with some younger competitors very new to racing and making their “open regatta” debut.

The boats were split into four fleets. Toppers took to the water first, tackling the strong breeze with Oppies and RS Tera chasing them after 5 mins. Once the first two races were complete, it was the lasers’ turn, with the fast fleet at their heels. Taking advantage of their spinnakers the RS Fevas were flying, the brightly coloured sails soaring forward as they ran down the broad towards the clubhouse. Cheers of over 200 spectators greeted the sailors as the bell rang out as each boat crossed the finish line.

As the afternoon progressed, gusts of wind caused chaos on the water, leading to synchronised capsizes involving RS Fevas and Lasers, all met with cheers from the crowd at the clubhouse. Even with death-rolls and capsizes littering the broad, the young sailors’ spirits were high as the day drew to an end.

The Number 6 buoy off of a downwind run posed challenging with the competitors, with the Rollesby Woods shielding the mark, the strong winds dropped as the sailors hardened up towards following buoys and the finish line. Capsizes across the site kept the rescue teams busy, with entanglements with the buoy flags happening more than once.

Another incident occurred at number 6, when the unfortunate crew of a RS Feva fell overboard. Swimming after their boat, a fellow RS Feva team, seeing the accidental swim, rescued the stranded crew, returning them safely to the jetty. This act of sportsmanship led to Rollesby awarding the Feva an award for embodying the spirit of Rollesby Broad Sailing Club, which emphasises supporting one another and fostering a friendly racing atmosphere.

5:30 brought the day to an end with free hotdogs for competitors and the ice cream van providing dessert, the clubs gathered in front of Rollesby clubhouse for thanks to the competitors, volunteers and sponsors prior to the prize-giving.

The inter-club competition for the Centenary Salver was won by Snowflakes Sailing Club, Waveney and Oulton Broad Yacht Club were second, and Horning Sailing Club were third. Hickling Broad Sailing Club came fourth, Norfolk Broads Yacht Club came fifth, Beccles Amateur Sailing Club came sixth, Norfolk Punt Club came seventh, and Rollesby Broad Sailing Club came Eighth.

The Whelpton Cup, for the most successful double-handed boat, was awarded to Beccles’s Sam and Freya in their expertly sailed traditional Norfolk One Design dinghy.

The Lady Mayhew Trophy for endeavour, “applying the greatest effort in a spirit of sport determination and fun without necessarily achieving a winning position,” was awarded to Joly Brewster & Henry Long from Beccles in their RS Feva.

An absolutely brilliant day for all competitors and volunteers who’s time and energy went into making it a memorable and excellent experience for all sailing at rollesby broad sailing club.

Rollesby Broad SC was supported in the running of the event by sponsorship from Cox’s boatyard, Marine Tech and many other local businesses.

Ben Falat, at the presentation and on behalf of the Norfolk and Suffolk Boating Association, thanked volunteers from Rollesby Broad sailing Club, which included Commodore Rhiannon Alger, lead Race Officer Tamsin Highfield, race officers Roger Wilson & Phil Highfield and their dedicated team of timekeepers, beachmasters, caterers and safety boat crews.

Fleet racing results:

Topper 1st Fleet 1 – Topper 45571 371 Tara Quayle
Topper 2nd Fleet 1 – Topper 46389 Isobelle Johnson
Topper 3rd Fleet 1 – Topper 48735 Nate Sparrow

Optimist 1st Fleet 2 – Optimist 5997 Isaac Thomas
Optimist 2nd Fleet 2 – Optimist 6434 Henrietta Highfield
Optimist 3rd Fleet 2 – Optimist 4724 James Quayle

RS Tera 1st Fleet 2 – RS Tera Pro 4331 Annabel Hooton
RS Tera 2nd Fleet 2 – RS Tera Pro 3263 Jack Reeve
RS Tera 3rd Fleet 2 – RS Tera Pro 3424 Harry Calver

ILCA (6 & 7) 1st Fleet 3 – ILCA 6 176848 Nathan Clark
ILCA (6 & 7) 2nd Fleet 3 – ILCA 6 224127 Jensen Jacobs
ILCA (6 & 7) 3rd Fleet 3 – ILCA 6 224753 Ellie Thwaites

Fast Handicap 1st Fleet 4 – ILCA 4 207704 Kit Bentall
Fast Handicap 2nd Fleet 4 – ILCA 4 184134 Will Keys-Batson
Fast Handicap 3rd Fleet 4 – ILCA 4 3952 Zoe Barnes

RS Feva 1st Fleet 4 – RS Feva XL 6165 Robin Hailey & Toby Hailey
RS Feva 2nd Fleet 4 – RS Feva XL 8831 Henry Drew & Finn Elson
RS Feva 3rd Fleet 4 – RS Feva XL 559 Hugh Walker & Martha Dinsdale

Full Results Here

• BYR_Fleet 1 and 2
• BYR_Fleet 3 and 4
• The Centenary Salver

Event Report by Rhiannon Alger 2 Sep 2025

Even More Great Pictures Here.

Event Report by Rhiannon Alger 2 Sep 2025

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Following the death, last year, of our friend Dennis Manning the club has revived the Wayfarer Trophy as a memorial . This is to be awarded to the best scoring Wayfarer team over several series combined.

We have extracted the Wayfarer results from Race 1 and 2 morning Multi-sail starts so far and published them separately here:- Wayfarer Trophy

The winners of the 2024-2025 series over the winter period were David Houghton and John Symonds.
A presentation was made at the Spring Regatta on 6 th April 2025.