2025 Cherub UK National Championship at Paignton Sailing Club

Paignton Sailing Club were excellent hosts of the 2025 Cherub National Championship, Nick and his race team expertly running races over the full 4 days of the event in mainly challenging skiff sailing conditions with one day of lighter winds thrown into the mix. The forecast was for windy weather, which should favour the weight and power of all male teams over the mixed gender crews and this is exactly how the racing played out.

Day one dawned windy and sunny with the breeze gusting well up in to the mid 20 knots. Luckily it was from the south west which meant easy launching and a flat sea state. 3 races were held with Paul Croote and Andy Whapshott in Marmite and Jonny O'Connor and Alex Harris in A&E sharing the top 2 spots between them. A sharing that would continue for all of the windy races. Otherwise the day was noted for the winning Davy Trophy entry (most spectacular capsize of the event) delivered by Roland Trim and Eleanor Craig in Rossa with a full Cherub Salute at the start of race 3. A curry at the club suitably drew the days activities to a close though some of the elder sailors were last seen heading to the local Spoons to check that it was the same as all the other Spoons they had been to (it is).

Race start during the Cherub Nationals 2025 at Paignton - photo © Mark Jardine

Day two had lighter winds and due to the ominous forecast for the following 2 days the PRO decided to run 4 races that could throw in some changes at the front of the fleet. .This proved to be the case with Andy and Jill Peters in Usagi Yojimbo showing they had lost none of their lighter winds prowess notching up 3 race wins and a second in the 4 heats. Whilst the first two wins were by some distance the 3rd one was one of the closest Nationals finishes with 4 boats within 10 seconds and the win a freeze frame video to confirm the victors. Jamie and Charlie in Poppy found their turbo boost in the later races demonstrating such upwind speed that Jamie got concussed (I think thats how it happened...). Of the 2 stronger winds contenders Marmite had the better day taking 2 seconds and a race win putting them in the lead of the Championship going into day 3. The research painstakingly completed by the older fleet members the previous night paid off and the fleet decamped to Spoons to top up energy and alcohol levels. The joy of the app meaning beers and food were delivered to the table to save aching sailor muscles.

Cherub Nationals 2025 at Paignton - photo © Richard Bowers Photography

Day 3 was back to breeze on with a lot of sunshine. The wind had backed towards the south east creating enough swell to keep the Moth Nationals in Torquay ashore. With the forecast of building wind and the infamous sea state Paignton is know for in south easterlies many elected to stay ashore. However the main contenders and some newly arrived weekend warriors, including returning Cherub guru Will Lee in his re-purchased Antidote, launched into the surf and set off for the course area. As it turned out the wind stayed a steady 18kts and the sea was lumpy but not too extreme making it perfect fun Cherub sailing conditions. Again Marmite and A&E traded blows with apparently A&E having the early edge and taking the first race. However after that their decision to rig their older spinnaker proved disastrous as it ripped from luff to leech handing the next 2 races (and effectively the Championship) to Marmite. Will Lee and his son Edward on his first Cherub sail navigated the rough conditions and returned to shore with 2 third places and big grins. Matt and Simon Baker in NBS took the time to pose for some spectacular capsize action shots. After sailing activities included a fleet trip to the Pirate Golf (a must for any self respecting sailor) and a change from Spoons with a local micro pub and real ales followed by a trip to a Sri-Lankan/Italian restaurant (curry pizza anyone...).

Cherub Nationals 2025 at Paignton - photo © Richard Bowers Photography

Day 4 was again windy, but this time with clouds and rain thrown in for the 2 races scheduled. At least the wind had veered so the sea state was calmer allowing moths to join us in the bay. Your report writer was comfortably sat in a glass fronted coffee house with a nice view of some of the racing between the rain squalls. It looked miserable and our thoughts were with the race team and safety crews, all volunteers, a magnificent effort from them. It was Marmites championship to lose. excluding some catastrophic gear failure it was unlikely they would and Paul and Andy duly wrapped up their first championship together. A&E with newer spinnaker shared the race wins with Marmite but finished a valiant second overall, ruing their gear failure the previous day. The newly returned Antidote made 3rds on the day theirs, but Usagi took 3rd overall for the Championship.

Cherub Nationals 2025 at Paignton - photo © Richard Bowers Photography

On to next year and the 75th Anniversary Nationals. These are booked at arguably the finest club to sail Cherubs in the UK, Castle Cove SC in Weymouth. To those missing an excellent Paignton Nationals dust of your Cherub, or if you haven't got one buy, borrow or steal (no don't) a boat as the 2026 Nationals are going to be EPIC. Block out August 6-9 in your diaries now.

Overall Results:
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