The IFA have indicated that the Open European Championship and the Finn Gold Cup may, in the future, accept sufficient entries to enable single-fleet racing. This is likely to mean fleets of 120 or fewer. Consequently, the BFA requires a process in place to enable sailors to qualify to end these events. The IFA has not yet issued a ‘country quota’ based on the number of members in each country, but estimates for the UK are between 3 and 6 places.
Qualification:
The BFA will run a qualification process in the year prior to the IFA events. i.e., the 2026 qualification series will qualify sailors for 2027 events, such as the Finn Gold Cup in La Rochelle.
For 2026, the 3 events will be:
- British Finn National Championships
- British Finn Masters Championship (open to all age groups)
- British Finn Inland Championships
Results for qualifications will be based on:
- A high-scoring system is to be used
- A competitor’s 3 scores will be calculated – this will include “zeros” where a competitor has
- not competed at the event
- 3 races must be completed for the event to count towards qualification
- A minimum of 1 event being satisfactorily completed will be required to produce a
- qualifying ranking
- If no qualifying events are completed, the BFA Committee will nominate sailors to attend IFA events
- A ranking based on these qualifying events will be maintained throughout the season
- This will run separately from the Silver Finn series
- In the event of a clash with an IFA event (FGC or Open Europeans only) which is attended by a member participating in the qualification, they will be awarded average points at the end of the series, for the event they are unable to attend
- The winner of the British National Championships will automatically be offered a place for IFA events (GC or Open Europeans) the following season
Following the completion of the qualification series, qualifying BFA members will be required to confirm their intent to attend a nominated IFA championship for the forthcoming year by the end of November.
If places are not taken up by members in the qualification places by this date, then the place will be offered to the next member in the qualification ranking unl all places are filled.
Should a qualified sailor, who has indicated their intention to attend an IFA event, fail to attend that event without a satisfactory reason, this may jeopardise their qualification for future events.
Each season, the qualification events/process/scoring, etc., will be reviewed by the BFA committee at the Autumn BFA committee meeting and modified if deemed to be beneficial.
Scoring system:
- For each event, members will be awarded points based on their finishing position (if you win a fleet of 35 = 35 points or 1 point if you finish last, etc.)
- This scoring system automatically rewards success at larger events.
The current 2026 Qualification rankings after two of the three nominated events have just been released and show John Greenwood heading the BFA qualifications, just a point ahead of Lawrence Crispin in second, with Tim Carver, Cameron Tweedle and Nick Craig all just a few points astern, so it’s all to play for at the final ranker event, the Inland Championships at Rutland SC on 12/13 September, don’t miss your chance of top class international competition at the FGC in La Rochelle next year!
Download the full Ranking list here.
