British clubs battle it out at SAILING Champions League 2025 final
by British Keelboat League 15 Jul 21:15 NZST
11-13 July 2025
Three British clubs battled it out over three days of close racing against Europe's top keelboat teams at the 2025 SAILING Champions League final in Germany.
Burnham SC, Marconi SC and the Royal Thames YC Academy were among a record entry of 33 clubs from 14 nations competing in Kiel, 11-13 July, across conditions combining sun, grey skies, drizzle and shifting winds.
Each National Sailing League sent its most successful teams to compete in the SAILING Champions League (SCL) 2025 final. All three British clubs earned a place after achieving top results in last year's British Keelboat League.
Hosted by Hotel Kieler Yacht Club and the SCL, teams completed 14 to 16 races each, with all the action taking place just metres from the waterfront.
In the mix
The SCL final kicked off with the British teams honing their tactical decision making, manoeuvres and boat speed in the up and down, shifty winds of 8-14 knots.
With 11 teams per flight, by the end of day one the Marconi SC team of David Nickalls, Dan Nickalls (helm), Tiegan Crick and Mia Morgan had scored a 2, 11, 9, 9, 4, which put them 21st as the top British boat.
Summing up their day, Dan commented: "It's been a pleasure to be surrounded by firstly the fantastic sailors on the boat with me but also the brilliant competition that we're racing against."
The Burnham SC team - Flynn Davies (helm), Chay Taylor, Niamh Davies and Ellen Morley - ended the day scoring 8, 9, 5, 10, 5 to see them in 26th, pleased with the progress they were making in their first SCL competition.
Flynn said: "A great, albeit long, day of really nip and tuck racing. We really had to fight for every place the whole way round the course and the depth of the fleet is seriously impressive. Nailing the start and having first pick of the shifts proved key and it was great to be in the mix."
Royal Thames YC's Academy team of Tommy Darling (helm), Dom Lewis, Gemma Keers and Lainey Terkelsen (captain) recorded an 11, 6, 10, 7 and 10, enjoying some great starts, taking places downwind, and the great atmosphere at Kiel.
Game on
A breezier and wetter day 2 saw Royal Thames YC's main trimmer Dom Lewis reflecting on a "mixed bag" of results, with plenty of positives alongside plenty to work on, adding that the team was thoroughly enjoying "the sailing and racing against some of the best teams in Europe".
Burnham SC meanwhile eased ahead of Marconi, who had suffered a port / starboard incident. The friendly, east coast rivalry continued through the day and into the gala dinner, and it was all still to play for to see which British team would come out on top.
Both the Royal Thames and Marconi teams won a grant from the RYA to support their participation in the SCL as a result of their position in the BKL Final 2024, with the Burnham team supported by east coast yacht brokers Clarke & Carter.
Historic win
The regatta favourites had emerged early in the proceedings and the top 10 clubs were only a few points apart at the start of day three, which included a thrilling 'final four' decider. Overall victory went to Copenhagen's Kongelig Dansk Yachtklub, who made history as the first team to win the prestigious title for a second time.
"This moment means an incredible amount to us," said skipper Jeppe Borch. "The league has developed enormously since our first title in 2014 - and the fact that we were the first team to win for the second time today makes us proud."
The battle among the British boats meanwhile saw Burnham maintaining their overnight lead. Helm Flynn Davies said: "The final day's racing delivered shifty, patchy, gusty conditions which made the racing super snakes and ladders with loads to be gained, loads to be lost, depending on whether you were in phase with the shifts or not."
He added that the Burnham team's final day results had included a third, their best of the regatta, adding to a scoreline which saw them finish 24th overall and top British boat: "Overall we're really pleased with that, we've had a great time. The racing has been so intense and such a high standard, and we're really looking forward to future keelboat league events as well. A big shout out to Clarke & Carter and to Burnham Sailing Club for supporting us."
Learning
Marconi SC's David Nickalls congratulated the Royal Danish Yacht Club on their win, and reflecting on his own team's final day in Kiel, said: "We performed well, we enjoyed it, there was some really tight racing again. I really feel like we're getting stuck in with the mix, which is nice, today was a good day for us."
Marconi's Tiegan Crick added: "It was lovely to watch the final back at the yacht club, with all the other teams that were taking part... to be surrounded by such a high calibre of competitors, we've learnt so much, especially watching the live broadcasting as well and the footage on the boats, seeing the positioning of everyone, and what we can do differently in the future. It's been amazing, we've loved every minute of it. We've had a great time and we've improved so much over the weekend."
Take part
Could a team from your club be competing in the SAILING Champions League 2026? There's still time to take part in the British Keelboat League!
With its quick turnaround fleet format, there is always heaps of on-water action alongside a sociable atmosphere on the support boats and ashore - with the top teams from each event going forward to the BKL's grand final.
Next up for the BKL 2025 series is an opportunity for teams to #rockupandrace in J70s at Royal Southern YC for the David Haw Memorial Trophy, 30-31 August.
Find all the info you need at www.britishkeelboatleague.co.uk