Our history
The United Kingdom Firefighters Sailing Challenge is a prestigious competition that was first held in its current form in 2003 under the management of Mick Stead and his team from Hampshire Fire and Rescue. The event was created as a replacement for the European competition which had unfortunately ended a few years prior.
The championship features the top sailing teams from UK fire brigades, with the winners of the three-day racing crowned as the best in the country.
In recent years, other emergency services such as police, ambulance, and mountain rescue have been invited to join the competition. After a decade of successful leadership, Mick handed over the reins to the London Fire Brigade, with Mick Norman serving as Chair for the past ten years. Previous champions include West Yorkshire, West Sussex, Hampshire, and the Metropolitan Police.
The yachts used in the competition are chartered from Sunsail in Port Solent and are F40s, based on the Beneteau design, with a crew of eight. On the first day, weather permitting, four races are held around the cans, with an overnight stay at a yet-to-be-determined location. The second day features another four races, followed by a gala dinner, prize giving, and a guest speaker.
In 2013, the regatta introduced a passage race from Cowes to Portsmouth under a handicap system, and in 2015, West Yorkshire 3 with skipper Jim Mudd took the top prize. For the 2024 competition, the organisers are working to attract more entries by reaching out to previous competitors and seeking out new participants from fire brigades, police forces, ambulance services, and other emergency organizations both in the UK and abroad. The goal is to make the next event even bigger and better, so help spread the word!
