This year’s Worlds host – club COYCH – delivered a great warm-up event over the 12-13th September weekend, setting the perfect stage for the highly anticipated 2026 SB20 World Championships. With a 15-strong fleet – including entries from the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, Malta and the UAE (sailing under ITA) – competitors were treated to champagne sailing as well as technical racing across eight races.
The weekend began with a frantic scramble for some of the British crews, as delayed flights out of the UK left sailors – including Richard Anderton from ORO PBII Twenty and the crew of Breaking Bod – racing to reach the French Riviera. Fortunately, everyone made it in time for racing. On Friday a light-wind sprint practice was organised by local coaches with 5 friendly competitive races that all teams enjoyed. This pre-regatta gave a first look at the current local wind patterns and allowed the teams to tune into racing mode.
When official racing kicked off on Saturday Hyères Bay delivered superb conditions, building from 12 to 18 knots and kicking up a lumpy sea state perfect for testing rig settings. The Australian team Rental Car came out firing with three consecutive bullets, while the British contingent and Kidzink fought hard to hang onto their coattails. On Sunday, however, the script flipped to much lighter and trickier conditions of 6 to 11 knots. Mark Gillett and the ORO PBII Twenty crew used the day to practice high-pressure starts from difficult positions on the line, engaging in a tight overall battle with Charlie Whelan’s Breaking Bod, who claimed two bullets on the final day.
After the tricky Sunday racing Team Kidzink’s consistency has paid off. Charlotte Borghesi, Pippa Kenton-Page, Riccardo Federico and Chiara Delgli Angoli secured first place overall scoring 1, 2, 4, 2 on the day finishing 3 points ahead of Breaking Bod.
“What a wonderful place Hyères is!” – Charlotte shared, praising the tight finishes and the local hospitality. “The conditions were super difficult – we had every wind strength and direction, different sea states and wonderful sunshine all week.”
For Kidzink, overcoming tricky environments has become their signature strategy. Racing was challenging, yet they managed the shifting breeze and demanding upwind tacks effectively: “For this weekend’s regatta, the wind kept us on our toes with lots of shifts and lots of opportunities,” – Charlotte added. “Whilst at the same time, the waves and swell made the upwind hard work and requiring relentless work to keep going as fast as possible!”
While the team raced under the Italian flag this weekend – having previously competed as GBR due to a lengthy administrative wait – Charlotte shared the news that they have finally received the official Emirati federation approval to represent the UAE. It is a long-awaited milestone for the Borghesi family who will be able to finally sail under the UAE flag at the upcoming Hyères World Championships.
Despite the tricky conditions, Charlotte confirmed her passion for the Class: “Despite everything, it was amazing to see how close all of the boats were at the finish line – that is the thing I love the most about the SB20 Class – the closeness of the fleet! The event was so well organised and we were all welcomed with a warm smile and lots of hospitality. The marina setup is amazing and it’s going to be great here for the Worlds. My team and I are looking forward to returning back in a few weeks!”
Taking second place, SB20 UK Class Chairman Charlie Whelan and his crew on Breaking Bod of Craig Burlton and Richard McAdam who also enjoyed the close battles: “Once again the team at COYCH gave us a brilliant regatta,” – Charlie remarked. – “They used every moment of breeze to provide champagne sailing on Saturday and tricky technical, high-quality sailing on Sunday.”
Reflecting on the stark contrast between the two days of racing, third placed skipper Mark Gillett on ORO PBII Twenty noted: “We were seeing 10 to 15-degree shifts on the Sunday, so great for the tactics and the strategists. Boat speed was king – as usual – in the lighter conditions, especially as the breeze dropped out in patches across the course. Really great practice and again, familiarisation with the Hyères topology, the wind and what happens was a really important part of being there”.
Fourth place went to Rental Car of Mike Buchanan, powered by the Tasmanian sailing talent of Darren Jones and Sam Tiedemann. Mike praised the efforts of Ed Russo and Corinne Aulnette in sorting logistics for their new boat. He extended his thanks to Marcin at Devoti for expediting the boat’s delivery and to Sophie Barrue in the regatta office for handling the entry logistics to ensure a smooth launch of the new boat, he added:
“It was great to get to sail in the waters for the Worlds – really appreciate all the effort from the class and club putting on this warm-up regatta. The first day started with a perfect breeze – enough to get everyone moving nicely, but letting us get to know the new boat. While the breeze was a bit lighter the next day, the conditions still provided great racing for the competitive fleet!” – said Buchanan.
Top French entry Rhapsodie – representing International Yacht Club of Hyères and Neptune Club – of Jean-Pierre Becquet, Dimitri Deruelle and skipper Cédric Petit Le Manach finished fifth. Beyond celebrating a final race victory, they highlighted a moment assisting a competitor who fell overboard – a reminder of the demanding nature of our sport and the importance of fleet solidarity. Well done to them for slowing down their own race and helping a fellow sailor!
Visiting Dutch team Kesbeke of Eelco Blok with skipper Ronald Veraar and Pim Mommersteeg finished eighth, with Pim noting: “It was great. Nice weather, good temperature. We sailed all eight races. The fleet was good, with many good teams. We are ready for the Worlds and we really look forward to it.”
The Maltese contingent have brought two teams to this regatta ahead of October’s main event. Following a dedicated three-year campaign, Adrian Gauci Borda and his team have been competing in French events since last November to master the local waters. He noted that while the weekend’s “shifty conditions made it harder to navigate,” it provided excellent preparation and a great chance to build bridges within the international community. With Malta sending an impressive three teams to the 2026 World Championships, their long-term plan is clearly paying off. “This augurs well for the Malta SB20 Association,” – Gauci Borda shared, adding that he hopes this will give them “the momentum behind us to keep growing the Class and interest in Malta.”
2026 Hyères Worlds organiser Ed Russo, who sailed the regatta on Skin in the Game with a new three crew setup, summarised the successful weekend:
“This was a fantastic pre-test event with a good number of high performance teams. It was wonderful to welcome the foreign teams, who had a good chance to experience Hyères while it still feels like summer. COYCH has proven its top-tier Race Management skills by completing eight races in sometimes tricky conditions. We are all set for the Worlds in a month!”
Link to full results – Hyeres Regatta 2026
With just a few weeks left until the World Championship unfolds in Hyères, there is still time to jump in if you haven’t signed up yet! The entry list is already packed with top international names and scenic Hyères is waiting to welcome the fleet with open arms and its world-class hospitality. Local wineries are already preparing their finest vintages for sailors to enjoy after racing, while the expert physiotherapy team from Belgium is packing their equipment to provide top-tier post-sail treatments for all SB20 competitors.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of an unforgettable event – you can still enter if you email the organising committee at or visit the official 2026 SB20 Worlds website for event information.
