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DAY 2 REPORT
Noble Marine UK Musto Skiff National Championship 2026
East Lothian Yacht Club (ELYC)
North Berwick, Scotland
Report by Euan Hurter & Dan Trotter
North Berwick turned on a spectacular day for the second day of the Noble Marine UK Musto Skiff National Championship, with sunshine, big waves, and plenty more spills.
The forecast promised 14–20 knots, but the fleet saw a punchier 17–24 knots through the morning. A wind-against-tide sea state made the opening race properly lumpy, with steep waves testing even the most experienced sailors. As the tide turned after Race 2, the water gradually flattened out, and racing became more about finding pressure than simply surviving the conditions.
Race 1 belonged to Danny Boatman after reigning World Champion Rob Richardson rounded the windward mark first, only to capsize on the first downwind in the heavy seas. Boatman took full advantage to sail through for the win, with Eddie Bridle coming in second and Ben Clegg in third.
Race 2 saw Boatman and Dan Trotter break away from the fleet early and round first and second. Another Boatman capsize downwind handed the advantage to Trotter, who converted it into his first race win of the championship. Richardson recovered well to finish second and keep himself firmly in the overall title fight.
By Race 3 the breeze had eased slightly but remained in full depower mode for the fleet. A significant pressure line arrived on the right-hand side of the course, rewarding those who committed early. Andy Tarboton led around the first windward mark, but Boatman again found the winning move on the second beat, going hard right before charging away to take his second victory of the day. Eddie Bridle finished second, while Tom Kyne produced one of the standout performances of the championship with an excellent third place.
The day’s finale was the famous Bass Rock Race. After a short beat, the fleet launched into a 20-minute downwind blast towards Bass Rock, with boats flat out on the wire. The iconic rock created its usual wind shadow, catching out several sailors with capsizes around the turn, before the fleet headed back towards North Berwick.
Richardson once again showed his Bass Rock pedigree. He rounded the rock alongside Eddie Bridle and Dan Trotter before choosing the inshore route home – a move that proved correct as he pulled clear to take the win and take the title of “King of the Rock”.
The day wasn’t just about the front of the fleet. Four sailors competed in the new Musto Skiff Mainsail-X division, with special mention going to 17-year-old Thomas Whitehead. Weighing just 60 kg and sailing his first UK Nationals in the class, he completed every race – including the demanding Bass Rock Race – in an impressive demonstration of the pathway the Mainsail-X is creating into the class.
It was a glamour day in every sense: wall-to-wall sunshine, plenty of wind, plenty of waves and plenty of sunburn – doing nothing to support Scotland’s weather stereotypes.
After Day 2, Eddie Bridle now leads the overall standings, with Rob Richardson in second, and Dan Trotter moving up into third. Saturday’s forecast looks fresh early before easing through the afternoon, leaving the fleet hopeful of another full day’s racing ahead.
Results - Day 2
1 – Eddie Bridle
2 – Rob Richardson
3 – Dan Trotter
4 – Danny Boatman
5 – Andy Tarboton
Full Results – Day 2: Noble Marine UK Musto Skiff National Championship 2026: https://elyc.org.uk/resources/Documents/Events/Musto%20Skiffs%202026/musto%20draft.htm
Bass Rock Race 2026:
https://elyc.org.uk/resources/Documents/Events/Musto%20Skiffs%202026/musto%20Bass.htm
Feature photo: Day 2 – Noble Marine UK Musto Skiff National Championship 2026 | © George Day
