Sam Knight and Chris Bownes have been crowned 2026 RS400 Rooster National Tour champions after a season of close racing, with success shared across a competitive fleet. Hamish Gledhill and Ollie Brown finished runners-up overall after winning the Inland Championship at Grafham Water, while Tom Halhead and Paul Hilliar rounded off the podium in third.
From the short-course intensity of the Harken Sprints at Rutland to the championship events at Carsington, Warsash, Hayling Island and Grafham, the tour offered a varied test of boat speed, tactical judgement and consistency. With different crews featuring at the front throughout the year, there was little room for anyone to relax.
The Harken Sprints at Rutland provided an action-packed start to the season, with the short-course format rewarding sharp starts and decisive manoeuvres. The championship programme then moved to Carsington for the Northern Championships and Warsash for the Southern Championships, before the fleet gathered at Hayling Island for the Nationals and Grafham for the Inlands.
Across the season, the challenge was to combine individual event results with the consistency needed to climb the overall tour standings. The depth of the fleet meant that even established front-runners had to work hard for every point, with each venue presenting its own challenges and giving us a different winner at every event.
Oakey and Yeoman win the Nationals
The season’s flagship event was the Noble Marine RS400 National Championship at Hayling Island, which attracted 57 boats — the biggest RS400 Nationals for years. The impressive turnout brought together established championship contenders, experienced class regulars and competitors from across the fleet.
Mark Oakey and George Yeoman emerged victorious after a close contest, finishing level on points with Tom Morris and Rob Ashman and taking the title on countback. Edd Whitehead and Ben Whaley completed the podium.
The championship delivered several days of competitive racing in punchy conditions, testing the crews’ ability to adapt to the breeze, waves and tide. The close finish was a fitting reflection of the class, where small gains and occasional mistakes can make a significant difference to the final standings.
The final round at Grafham Water provided a competitive conclusion to the National Tour. Sixteen teams contested the Inland Championship, with a light and frustrating opening day giving way to a more consistent breeze on Sunday.
Hamish Gledhill and Ollie Brown proved the team to beat, winning three races to secure the Inland title. Sam Knight and Chris Bownes finished second overall at the event, with Charlie and Caroline Exley third.
Gledhill and Brown’s strong finish at Grafham also lifted them into second place in the final National Tour standings, rewarding a season that ended on a high. Knight and Bownes took the overall crown, with the final podium reflecting the importance of delivering results across the full championship programme rather than relying on a single standout event.
The 2026 tour has highlighted what makes the RS400 such an appealing class: close racing across a range of venues, a deep fleet with plenty of potential winners, and a calendar that rewards both outright pace and consistency.
Away from the racecourse, the class’s social atmosphere remained an important part of the experience, with host clubs and organisers providing the welcome that makes travelling to events worthwhile. Thanks are due to the clubs, volunteers and Rooster Sailing for supporting the series throughout the year.
With the final points settled at Grafham, the season ends with Knight and Bownes on top, Gledhill and Brown rewarded for their late-season charge, and the fleet already looking ahead to another year of competitive RS400 racing.
The RS400 class would like to thank Rooster, title sponsor of the National Tour, for their continued support throughout the season. Through event prizes, vouchers and their presence at the National Championships, Rooster helped make the series a success for competitors across the fleet.
Thanks are also due to all the host clubs, race officers, volunteers and sailors who contributed to another excellent year of RS400 racing. With strong competition throughout the fleet and winners emerging from across the country, the class looks forward to another successful season in 2027.
View the full Rooster National Tour results here.
Report by Sam Knight
Photos by Digital Sailing and Paul Sanwell/OPP
