Incandescent you say? Relive the Rutland Sailing Club Boating Bonanza

Rutland Sailing Club recently staged the British Keelboat League 2025, an astounding spectacle of glistening yachts and keen competition. The brisk weekend saw eleven teams sailing through the foam and froth in an adrenaline-fueled rush, the likes of which is rare to behold. Using the club’s arsenal of four RS21s, and a fifth graciously lent by RS Sailing, the teams took to the waves with undisputed vigour.

The competition, under the watchful eyes of Event Director David Wilkins and Chief Umpire Steve Watson, bore witness to a Saturday of thrilling bouts under testing conditions. Despite the cold and at times drizzly weather, the first day wrapped up with fifteen completed races. Ensuring a fair gameplay, all teams were swapped in and out of the boats, keeping the excitement alive.

The day welcomed the sailors with the promise of thrill and competition as the top spots were claimed by Solent Irish, Burnham, and Marconi, while Solent Red made headway in fourth position. Wild finishes ensued in the mid-fleet, with Portsmouth University and members of Swarkstone SC snatching the coveted fifth place. The competition tracked young proteges from Derbyshire Youth Sailing navigating the keelboats for the first time in competition, adding more excitement to the mix.

As the event approached the final reckoning, Solent Irish from Solent University held a narrow lead at the top of the leaderboard. However, the competition’s tense finale hung in the balance and could go either way. When the final results were tallied, Solent Irish emerged as the overall victors, claiming the newly minted Rutland BKL trophy. Such a boating bonanza indeed! The BKL finals concluded on a high note, with the top three positions matching the standings at the previous year’s finals and proving the impeccable pedigree of these seasoned sailors. Once the waves settled on another enthralling British Keelboat League, participants were left eagerly waiting for the next adrenaline-filled affair.