Latest news with #SkiffieWorlds
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Stranraer prepares to host 2025 Scottish Fin and Foil Championships
The wind sports event takes place on Loch Ryan just weeks after the town hosted the record-breaking SkiffieWorlds 2025. Stranraer is gearing up to host the Scottish Fin and Foil Championships. The wind sports event takes place on Loch Ryan in August just weeks after the town hosted the record-breaking coastal rowing world championships, SkiffieWorlds 2025. Fin and Foil, now in its third year, will see 80 to 100 of the UK's finest windsurfers, wing foilers, hydrofoil sailors, and their coaches, converge on Stranraer. Competitors will take part in four days of training, followed by three days of spectacular high-speed racing across multiple classes from August 8 to 10. The event is being supported by Stranraer Water Sports Association and trustee Kevin Packer said: 'We are thrilled to welcome another world-class water sports event to Loch Ryan. The Scottish Fin and Foil Championships offer spectators a completely different experience to SkiffieWorlds, but an equally enjoyable one. The sight of these colourful sails and lightning-fast hydrofoils racing across our beautiful loch is spectacular. 'The Scottish Fin and Foil Championships showcase the cutting-edge technology and athleticism of modern wind sports. We encourage everyone who enjoyed the festival atmosphere of SkiffieWorlds to come and experience something completely different, and to even have a go themselves.' The championship event is unique in the UK and is supported by RYA Scotland and the UK Windsurfing Association. At least four races will take place each day, which can be viewed from the shore or on water by spectators. Chair of Scottish Fin and Foil, Danny Hawthorn, said: "Loch Ryan offers the perfect combination of reliable wind conditions, sheltered waters, and excellent shore access that makes it ideal for championship-level competition. 'The eight-mile sea loch provides consistent conditions while remaining spectator-friendly, and the support we receive from Stranraer Water Sports Association and the local community is exceptional.' An estimated 50 to 60 volunteers are expected to be involved, supporting both land and water-based operations. Anyone interested in volunteering can register at the event website. As well as the racing, Scottish Fin ∧ Foil are organising windsurfing and wing taster sessions, with a particular focus on opportunities for young people. These sessions, run by qualified instructors from the Windsurf Club, will provide local residents and visitors with the opportunity to experience windsurfing and wing foiling firsthand. Taster sessions are available for children aged 12 and above, as well as adults, with all equipment provided, at a cost from £20 per session. Participants must be able to swim and should bring wetsuits and appropriate footwear.
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Scotsman
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Historic' coastal rowing world championships swell Scottish loch and club pride
Captains, coxes and coastal rowing crews created history at the largest ever gathering of its kind at the SkiffieWorlds 2025. More than 2,000 rowers from 78 clubs across four continents competed in St Ayles Skiffs - which are built for rowing at sea and have four crew, four oars and a cox - over a week on Loch Ryan at Stranraer. Scotland was well represented, with clubs from all corners of the country - from Highland to Aberdeenshire, Angus, Edinburgh and the West Coast, converging in Dumfries and Galloway for the contest, which is held every three years. Teams also travelled from Australia, USA, Canada, South Africa, and the Netherlands for the event. Northern Irelands's Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club took the world title for the fourth time after collecting 8 golds, 2 silver and 5 bronze medals over the course of the competition. Portobello's Eastern Amateur Rowing Club - known as The Eastern - were named runners up overall with their Under 17 crew taking the world title in their category. Overall, the club took home two golds, eight silver and five bronze medals. Ailsa Cook, a founder member of 'The Eastern' which celebrates its 10th anniversary this December, said it had been an 'amazing and intense' experience. Ms Cook said: 'The racing was excellent and the weather was incredible. Stranraer had done a brilliant job setting it all up. There were huge screens where you could watch all the races and there were people from all over the world screaming for their clubs. 'We are really delighted at our results and our Under 17s took the gold in their race. They are all 13, 14, 15 and 16 and they did absolutely brilliantly in their competition.' The world championship returned to Stranraer following the town's highly successful hosting debut in 2019. The top placed international team was WSV Woudrichem, from the Netherlands, in third place, winning gold in three classes. Golspie Rowing Club placed fifth and collected three gold medals while North Berwick ranked sixth overall. Eskmuthe Coastal Rowing Club, based in Musselburgh, took home their first medal after their U19 mixed crew collected silver. Meanwhile, Strathpeffer took home gold in the 60+ mixed class, while St Ayles won gold in the women's 280 class – a category in which the combined ages of all four rowers must be at least 280 years. Despite challenging weather conditions at the start of the event, the championship demonstrated both the resilience of the sport and the exceptional suitability of Loch Ryan as a venue for major water sports competitions, organisers said. Max Berends, Chair of St Ayles Skiff International, said: "As a blueprint for SkiffieWorlds I'd say Stranraer is the ideal location. 'It runs very smoothly, the volunteers and the community are tremendous, and it all comes together to create an event that is ideal. Even with the challenging weather at the start of the event, we were able to reschedule easily because of the scale of the water. 'This sport is all about health and community, and many rowers have commented on the warmth of the Stranraer community. It's just the whole package that comes together here." Wendi Cuffe, Trustee of Stranraer Water Sports Association, who organised SkiffieWorlds, said: "It's been amazing. I'm in absolute awe that these people have come from so far to fill our beach and to race on Loch Ryan. 'It's been absolutely fantastic. All the clubs have been very kind, they've complimented us on our organisation, on our communication and this week has exceeded all my hopes and expectations for this event. "The fact that the Stranraer community backed us 100% has been the biggest part of it. They believed in us; they believed our water sports association could deliver this and they supported us to do it. We are so grateful to our community.' 1 . A historic weekend on the water A record-breaking 78 clubs and more than 2,000 rowers took part in the Skiffie Worlds 2025 over five days of competition on Loch Ryan at Stranraer. | Kirstin McEwan Photo: Kirstin McEwan Photo Sales 2 . A hard row The Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club, from Greenock, take to the water on day three of the competition. | Kirstin McEwan Photo Sales 3 . Club capital Rowers from the Edinburgh-based Eastern Amateur Coastal Rowing Club - or The Eastern. The club came in second place overall at the Skiffie Worlds 2025. | Kirstin McEwan Photo Sales 4 . C'mon The Eastern! Supporters of the Edinburgh-based Eastern Amateur Coastal Rowing Club cheer on their rowers. | Kirstin McEwan Photo Sales Related topics: Stranraer
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Coastal rowing races find their 'ideal location' in Stranraer
The south-west of Scotland has been hailed as the "ideal location" for coastal rowing after hosting a major from round the world were in Stranraer to race on Loch Ryan in the SkiffieWorlds which drew to a close on Ireland's Dundrum Coastal Rowing Club successfully defended their Berends, who chairs St Ayles Skiff International, said the "whole package" had come together at the Scottish event. The St Ayles skiff is a 22-foot (6.7m) fixed-seat rowing boat and is usually built by the community that rows championships take place every three years and were last held in Stranraer in 2019."As a blueprint for SkiffieWorlds I'd say Stranraer is the ideal location," said Mr Berends."It runs very smoothly, the volunteers and the community are tremendous, and it all comes together to create an event that is ideal."Even with the challenging weather at the start of the event, we were able to reschedule easily because of the scale of the water." Teams travelled from Australia, USA, Canada, South Africa and the Netherlands to compete with teams from across the UK and Cuffe, trustee of organisers Stranraer Water Sports Association (SWSA) said: "It's been amazing. I'm in absolute awe that these people have come from so far to fill our beach and to race on Loch Ryan."It's been absolutely fantastic." The SkiffieWorlds is part of wider efforts to promote the area as a water sports has started on a £6.7m hub in Stranraer, which it is hoped can open next next major event to be hosted by the SWSA will be the Scottish Fin and Foil Championships from 8 to 10 August.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
SkiffieWorlds 2025: High winds hit Stranraer championships
A full day of events in a world rowing championships has been postponed over safety concerns due to high 2025 started on Sunday on Loch Ryan, Stranraer, and involves more than 2,000 rowers and dozens of community-built St Ayles class west winds gusting to about 40mph have been forecast for the race said they hoped to resume the competition on Tuesday, with cancelled events rescheduled for later this week. A record-breaking 79 clubs from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, the USA and Canada are taking part in this year's championships. Organisers said eight mile-long (13km) Loch Ryan was sheltered from most wind directions, but northerly winds blew directly down the sea umpire Topher Dawson said scrapping Monday's events was disappointing, but safety came said: "This is the biggest ever skiff event and, due to the size of it, rearranging the schedule is like a gigantic three dimensional jigsaw puzzle so that people don't have to race too many times in one day."Accepting that the weather is unpredictable is part of coastal rowing, and you just have to take it as it comes." Mr Dawson said the postponement had not spoiled the said: "The atmosphere at SkiffieWorlds remains really positive."Everyone is happy to enjoy the sunshine and to meet fellow rowers from different countries - it's like being amongst 2,000 friends." The St Ayles skiff is a 22-foot (6.7m) fixed-seat rowing boat is typically built by the community that rows championships take place every three it was held in Stranraer in 2019, the SkiffieWorlds attracted about 30,000 visitors to the town and generated up to £4m for the local year's championship also showcases wider efforts to boost Stranraer's transformation into a major water sports started earlier this year on a water sports hub in the town and it is scheduled to open next summer.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
International rowers gather for SkiffieWorlds championship
The colourful boats at the SkiffieWorlds are generally community-built [Colin Hattersley] More than 2,000 rowers from around the globe are expected in south west Scotland for the SkiffieWorlds championship. The world championships for the St Ayles class coastal rowing boats is taking place on Loch Ryan, near Stranraer, from Sunday for seven days. Advertisement A record-breaking 79 clubs from as far afield as Australia, South Africa, the USA and Canada are set to make it the biggest ever gathering of the colourful community-built boats. Events begin with an opening ceremony before the competition and an on-shore festival get under way. The event was last held in Stranraer six years ago [Saskia Coulson] The SkiffieWorlds attracted about 30,000 visitors when they were previously held in Stranraer in 2019 and are estimated to have generated up to £4m for the local economy. But is is hoped the 2025 edition will surpass those figures. The event is the world championship for the St Ayles class of coastal rowing boat and takes place every three years. Advertisement The St Ayles skiff is a 22-foot (6.7m) fixed-seat rowing boat designed specifically for community building and coastal rowing. Each boat is typically built by the community that rows it. Wendi Cuffe, trustee of Stranraer Water Sports Association (SWSA), said: "SkiffieWorlds is a world championship rowing event, but it's about so much more than competition. "It's a celebration of community, connection, active participation and coastal heritage. "The shoreside festival programme reflects everything that makes this sport special, from the international friendships forged through shared love of the water to the wellbeing benefits that keep people coming back to rowing." Advertisement The championships will see more than 100 races across a number of age categories. Big screens will show live drone footage with commentary for spectators on the shore. Stranraer water sports hub The youngest competitor is 14, while the oldest is thought to be 81. Rebecca Edser, head of EventScotland, said it was delighted to support the event which could encourage economic growth and bring physical, mental and social benefits. The competition showcases wider efforts to boost Stranraer's transformation into a major water sports destination. Work started earlier this year on a water sports hub in the town and it is scheduled to open next summer.
