Club sailing
Ian Jones Wins Northern ILCA Grand Prix for 29th Year
Publicado · Última comprobación octubre de 2026
Ian Jones of Dovestone Sailing Club has won the Northern ILCA Grand Prix for the 29th consecutive year. The last time anyone else won it was 1997, when Paul Goodison took the title. In 2026 Jones won nine of the 11 events he started, in a series that grew to 163 sailors from nearly 30 clubs.
A season of wins
The circuit ran 16 events at clubs across the north of England, up from 13 in 2025, with each sailor's best six results counting. Jones won at Blackpool, Redesmere, West Lancs, Ogston, Rudyard Lake, Budworth, Leigh & Lowton (day 2), Scammonden and the Dovestone finale, finishing on 6 points.
| Place | Sailor | Club | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ian Jones | Dovestone SC | 6 |
| 2 | Tim Keighley | West Riding SC | 11 |
| 3 | Gordon Riddell | Delph SC | 21 |
| 4 | Wendy Jones | Dovestone SC | 22 |
A growing circuit
Entries rose 27%, from 128 to 163 sailors, including 29 women and 37 youth sailors. Delph drew the biggest turnout with 41 boats. Six different sailors won events, including youth sailor Ava Harris-Scott at the opening round at Delph. Gordon Riddell sailed the most events: 15 of 16.
Why club circuits matter
Travelling series like this are how most dinghy sailors start racing: one boat, a different club each weekend and a fleet of every age. If you're starting out, our guide to how sailing races work covers the basics.