The 2026 RS700 Rooster National Tour has drawn to a close following five events across the country, with Pete Purkiss emerging victorious after a closely fought season-long battle with Matt Conner.
The tour began in March at Chew Valley Sailing Club before heading to Stokes Bay Sailing Club in April. The fleet then travelled to Dabchicks Sailing Club at the end of May, where sunshine, a building sea breeze and a competitive 14-boat fleet provided excellent racing. Jack Grogan took the overall win after seven races.
June brought the fleet to Snettisham Beach Sailing Club for SnetFest 4. Tricky, marginal conditions on Saturday gave way to a more promising breeze on Sunday, allowing six races to be completed. Robbie Bell secured the event win on countback from Tom Playford, with Purkiss finishing third.
The final round took place at Grafham Water Sailing Club on 3–4 October for the Inland Championships. Colin Dacey delivered an impressive performance to take the event win, with Purkiss finishing second. That result proved decisive in the overall tour standings.
One of the highlights of this year's series was the fact that all five events produced different winners, underlining the depth of talent and competitive spirit within the RS700 fleet. With victories shared across the season, there was little room for error in the battle for the overall title.
With five events completed and three results to count, Purkiss secured the 2026 Rooster National Tour title with seven net points, narrowly beating Conner on eight. Simon Hawes finished third overall, completing a strong season for the Queen Mary Sailing Club sailor.
Looking ahead to 2027, the RS700 fleet is already planning another exciting season, with a return to some favourite venues and the RS700 National Championship heading to Abersoch in September and counting in the tour for the first time. With such close competition across this year's tour, there is plenty to look forward to as the fleet prepares to do battle again next season!
Congratulations to Pete on a fantastic season campaign, and to all the competitors who travelled to support the series. A huge thank you goes to Rooster Sailing for its continued support of the RS700 National Tour and to all the host clubs, race teams and volunteers who made the events possible.
View the full tour results here.
Report by Laurie Callaghan
Photos bt Paul Gibbins and Paul Sanwell/OPP
