London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jun 10, 2026

Rathbun Captures Laser Championship

Rathbun Captures Laser Championship

Despite the constantly changing conditions, racers enjoyed a six race series and close competition out in the Sir Francis Drake Channel.

The BVI Laser Masters Championship was born in 2018 and since then only one name appears on the trophy. Christian Thompson sealed the deal in 2018 and 2019 whilst COVID put a stop to the 2020 edition but could he do it again?

The Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club stated that Thompson set the marker down early to take the win in the first race ahead of 2021 BVI Dinghy Champs winner Colin Rathbun and Chris Haycraft. In race number two, Mike Hirst made his presence felt, taking the bullet with Thompson in second. In the remaining four races, Rathbun put the hammer down, took three out of four wins and with that, won the title by one point.

Haycraft sailed a consistent regatta despite waging a war against numerous tiller extensions and finished the day in third overall. New to BVI sailing and shaking off the cobwebs was Nick Maris who sailed a solid day, posting his best result of a third in the final race and finishing fourth overall.

In the Laser Radial Class, BVI Youth Team sailor Savion James took a string of bullets through the day, competing in his first regatta in the class. Marentia de Villiers, the only female Laser skipper, came in second behind James in the Radial, once again showing true grit and determination and always with a smile!

Meanwhile, in the Optimist class, Harry Dixon and William Sanders went head to head for the Back to School title. In the end it was Dixon who came out the victor with two firsts and a second. Congratulations to both sailors who put in a good performance on a tricky day and are eager to keep working hard at their trianing with the BVI Youth Sailing Team.

In the RSFeva class, Samuel Allen and Ethan George shared the helming duties throughout the day and took first overall. Mixiing it up with the Lasers they are put in a great performance, demonstrating the skills learned during the Feva Team Racing training with the BVI Youth Team. Cate Armstrong skipperd the second Feva, sailing with daughters Mia and Ellie in their first ever BVI regatta.

Results


Laser


1. Colin Rathbun , 7
2. Christian Thompson, 8
3. Chris Haycraft, 16
4. Nick Maris, 19
5. Mike Hirst, 24 (RTD)

Laser Radial

1. Savion James, 6
2. Marentia de Villiers, 10

Optimist

1. Harry Dixon, 4
2. Wiliam Sanders, 5

RS Feva

1. Ethan George & Samuel Allen
2. Cate, Mia & Ellie Armstrong

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
United Kingdom Sees Recovery in Horizon Europe Research Funding Share to 9.3 Percent
UK Inflation Holds at 2.8 Percent as Office for Budget Responsibility Flags Persistent Price Pressures
United Kingdom Launches National Anti-Fraud Framework to Combat Rising Pension Scam Losses
United Kingdom Expands Sanctions on Israeli Groups While Funding Palestinian Authority Salaries and Gaza Mine Clearance
United Kingdom Issues Three-Month Ultimatum to Major Technology Firms Over Child Online Safety Controls
United Kingdom Government Moves Toward Blanket Social Media Ban for Children Under Sixteen
Widespread Anti-Immigration Rioting Erupts Across Belfast After Knife Attack Linked to Asylum Seeker
Farmers Warn of Crop Losses Following Months of Unseasonal Rainfall
Civil Aviation Authority Launches Review of Regional Airport Operations
Met Office Issues Heat-Health Alert Across Parts of England
National Grid Introduces New Measures to Protect Winter Energy Supply
Northern England Rail Upgrades Receive Additional Government Funding
Wales Advances Green Hydrogen Strategy to Decarbonize Heavy Industry
UK Expands Recruitment Incentives to Address Shortage of STEM Teachers
High Court Opens Door to Climate Liability Claims Against Major Industrial Emitters
Police Service of Northern Ireland Investigates Major Personnel Data Breach
Defense Ministry Overhauls Procurement System to Accelerate AUKUS Submarine Program
Net Migration Remains Above Government Expectations, New Data Shows
UK and Scottish Governments Agree Framework for Expanded North Sea Wind Development
UK Treasury Launches New Tax Incentives to Boost AI and Semiconductor Investment
Bank of England Signals Continued Caution on Interest Rate Cuts
UK Unveils £10 Billion NHS Digital Modernization Plan Centered on AI Integration
Nebius Opens Major Robotics and Physical AI Laboratory in London
Bank of England Data Shows Strong Rise in New Mortgage Approvals
Network Rail Completes Landmark Upgrade of Severn Tunnel Rail Infrastructure
East West Rail Passenger Services Between Oxford and Milton Keynes Set for December Launch
GlaxoSmithKline Reportedly Pursues £7 Billion Acquisition of US Cancer Drug Developer Nuvalent
Bank of England Signals Interest Rates Likely to Remain Unchanged Despite Energy Market Risks
NHS Trusts Launch Job-Cutting Programmes as Financial Pressures Intensify Across England
More Than 130 Labour MPs Urge Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
Keir Starmer Orders Technology Firms to Introduce Smartphone Nudity Controls for Under-18s
UK Unveils £400 Million National AI Supercomputer Fund and New Economics Institute
Japanese Technology Firm Fujitsu Launches Advanced Artificial Intelligence Tool for Corporate Disclosures
South Africa Officially Launches Nationwide Campaign for Highly Contested Local Government Elections
United Kingdom Commits Additional Funding for Unexploded Ordnance Clearance in Laos
Singapore Announces Stringent New Greenhouse Gas Regulations for Commercial Cooling Systems
Cambodia and Thailand Hold High-Level Border Security Talks at United Nations Headquarters
Myanmar Military Government and China Sign Major Agreement to Upgrade Media and Cultural Cooperation
Knife Attack at Swiss Train Station Leaves Three Injured in Suspected Act of Domestic Terrorism
Transnational Extortion Gang Threatens Canadian Police With Army of One Thousand Armed Operatives
Australia Imposes Forty-Two-Day Quarantine on Cruise Ship Passengers Following Deadly Hantavirus Outbreak
International Monetary Fund Unlocks Seven Hundred Million United States Dollars for Sri Lanka Following Economic Reforms
Australia Launches Record One Point Four Billion Dollar Lawsuit Against Chemical Giant 3M Over Contamination
China and Canada Foreign Ministers Meet in Ottawa in Effort to Stabilize Strained Diplomatic Ties
Indonesia Demands Urgent United Nations Security Council Reform Amid Escalating Global Conflicts
Extreme Weather Patterns Trigger Severe Drought in Madagascar and Destructive Flooding in East Africa
Indian State of Karnataka Faces Political Upheaval as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Abruptly Resigns
Philippines and Japan Reaffirm Defense Ties as Crucial for Indo-Pacific Regional Stability
Norway Joins French Nuclear Deterrence Initiative in Major Shift for European Security Architecture
Global Critical Mineral Alliances Expand as Western Nations Move to Counter Chinese Supply Dominance
×