You’re guaranteed three things when you go racing at Bosham…Finns, shifts and a brilliant afternoon tea… 

The 2026 UK Finn Southern Championships returned to Bosham, a place that feels like the spiritual home of British Finn sailing. Ever since Charles Currey won silver at the 1952 Summer Olympics, Bosham has held a special place in the story of the class. One suspects Charles would have looked out across Chichester Harbour with a quiet smile, seeing the legacy he helped shape still thriving on the waters where he once sailed. 

Thirty Finns descended on the historic shoreline on Saturday morning. The hugely diverse fleet saw local Chichester Harbour stalwarts rubbing shoulders with returning former Olympic campaigners, a reminder that the Finn remains one of sailing’s great magnets. Equal parts athletic challenge, tactical chess match, and an old-friends reunion, the class continues to attract sailors who appreciate its enduring prestige and unmistakable character. 

Greeted by sunshine, an eager race team, and enough wind shifts to make even the most seasoned tactician question their life choices, the fleet launched and made its way to East Head, where three races unfolded as tactical enigmas. 

 Before diving into the results, the entire fleet would no doubt like to salute the race team for their perseverance in laying a course in such mercurial conditions. At times, certain legs bore more resemblance to the reaching starts of SailGP than a conventional Finn beat, but the scale of the challenge and the effort required to deliver three races did not go unnoticed. 

The day began in lighter winds over flat water, creating what felt like an aquatic version of Snakes and Ladders. In the space of 30 seconds, sailors could go from hero to zero and back again, often without quite understanding how. While the conditions were difficult and deeply unpredictable, the best sailors still found a way to manufacture their own good fortune. 

Matt Howard, Pete McCoy and John Greenwood traded blows at the front, swapping positions around the course as if engaged in a particularly civilised heavyweight bout. Cameron Tweedle and the ever-consistent Simon Percival remained firmly in contention, never allowing the leading trio a moment of comfort. 

A day of tight racing was only separated by Pete McCoy’s impressive breakaway in the second race, finishing almost two minutes in front of second place. 

By Race 3, the breeze had strengthened enough for the famous Oscar flag to be hoisted, unleashing the full physical style of sailing for which the Finn is renowned. Downwind became a test of timing, technique and stamina, with sailors pumping their boats onto the plane. Pete McCoy and Cameron Tweedle demonstrated the polished pumping form that only years of practice can produce, but it was not enough to deny Matt Howard, who put together the most consistent performance of the day to finish Saturday at the top of the leaderboard. 

After sailing, a BBQ was expertly cooked as sailors bonded over cooked meat and beer in the Bosham evening sun, stories of heroic lifts and catastrophic losses grew ever more dramatic with each retelling. Yet beneath the laughter, everyone knew Sunday loomed large. With the championship still finely poised and a forecast that promised classic Finn conditions, anticipation crackled through the fleet like a halyard in a stiff breeze. 

As Sunday morning rolled around and the fleet made its way to the same race area, the sky was grey, a bitter wind whipped through our sails, but the direction was what we all hoped for. The wind having swung further north meant we had a much bigger runway, fewer shifts, and more breeze! 

The stronger breeze allowed the fleet to showcase the full athletic theatre of Finn sailing. Upwind, sailors hiked with grim determination; downwind, they pumped with gusto, turning each run into a test of endurance as much as technique. At the front, Matt Howard and Pete McCoy resumed their private duel, once again trading race wins. Meanwhile, Richard Sharp used his local knowledge to excellent effect, posting two impressive third-place finishes. 

While the race winners naturally draw the headlines, what stood out throughout the weekend was the depth of competition across the fleet. Racing from bow to stern, each place was fiercely contested, with no room for error. One poor tack, one mistimed gybe, or one flirtation with the wrong side of a shift could send a sailor tumbling down the leaderboard. 

It is also worth taking a moment to recognise Jeremy Drummond. Jeremy lives and breathes Finn sailing and is a superb ambassador for Bosham Sailing Club. For many years, he has been a driving force behind this event, all while competing himself. Championships like this do not happen by accident; they happen because of people like Jeremy. 

Martin Hughes retained the Classic Trophy, in his Fairey Finn, complete with Needlespar mast and Dacron sail

Prizes from Force 4 Chandlery, Lalizas, Harken and North Sails were generously donated, ensuring that every competitor went home with something to remember the weekend by. 

Pete McCoy, the runner-up, takes home his prize.

At the top of the standings, Matt Howard secured the championship title after a remarkably consistent performance. Pete McCoy, returning to the class, finished a close second, while John Greenwood, fresh from victory at the UK Masters Championships, completed a thoroughly deserving podium. A fitting conclusion to a superb weekend of Finn sailing. 

Matt Howard marks his return to Finn sailing with the win.

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Report by Cameron Tweedle

Photos by Steven Board

Full results