Almost 9,000 visitors from across the UK and around the world attended the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show 2025 across two days.
The show provided a kick-start to the new sailing season as the water lovers joined championship sailors, coaches and tacticians and marine brands to celebrate small boat sailing and boardsports.
The show featured dinghy sailing, windsurfing, wingsurfing, foiling, and paddleboarding, uniting participants, clubs, training centres, class associations, equipment manufacturers, and retailers.
Visitors came from all over the UK as well as overseas, including the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and even Qatar, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia and the Falkland Islands.
“We’ve had another amazing weekend at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show and it’s been great to see fans and marine businesses alike so excited and enthused about the season ahead,” said RYA director of sport development, Rob Clark.
We’re proud of the role the RYA plays in bringing the community together for this show.
Rob Clark
“We’re proud of the role the RYA plays in bringing the community together for this show, and the generosity of that community in sharing their knowledge and passion with others is so inspiring.”
He added: “A huge thank you also to our fantastic exhibitors and speakers, and all our visitors, for bringing an exciting energy to the show which sets us up brilliantly heading into the new season.”
Speakers included Paris 2024 kite foiling gold medallist Ellie Aldridge MBE, America’s Cup and SailGP helm Dylan Fletcher MBE and women’s America’s Cup star Hannah Diamond.
Technical sessions included those from Mark Rushall on tactics, Michael McNamara on rigging top tips and practical insights from windsurf champion Peter Hart and winging experts James Hardy and Mia Adcock.
Steve Bowens shared tales of his attempt, alongside Simon Obsorne, to wingfoil around Britain last summer, while there were practical fitness sessions from top paddleboarder Holly Bassett and British Sailing Team ILCA sailor Sam Whaley.
Dylan Fletcher and Emirates GBR SailGP Team performance engineer Nick Robins also shared with fans what they can expect from the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth this summer.
In addition, various awards were handed out including to the Yachting Journalists’ Association winners.
The Yachtsman of the Year award was presented to eight-time world match racing champion Ian Williams and the Young Sailor of the Year Award for 2024 was awarded to Jessye Opoku-Ware of the Scaramouche Sailing Trust and Greig City Academy.
