Consistency secures RS500 Rooster National Tour title for Tim and Heather Wilkins
The 2026 RS500 Rooster National Tour delivered a season of varied venues, contrasting conditions and close competition across five events. From the inland waters of Rutland and Grafham to the tidal challenges of West Mersea and championship racing at Torbay, the season produced four different event-winning teams and a closely fought battle for the overall title.
The Tour opened with the Harken Sprints at Rutland Sailing Club, where Tim and Heather Wilkins mastered light and patchy conditions to claim victory ahead of Mike Saul and Oli Kent. Saul and Kent hit back emphatically at the next round, the Dabchicks Open at West Mersea, winning every race sailed.
The third round took the fleet to the Isle of Wight for the Gurnard Club Championships. Eight boats assembled for a weekend that featured both light airs and classic Solent breeze. Several teams claimed race wins, but Tim and Heather Wilkins once again demonstrated impressive consistency to secure their second event victory of the year and strengthen their position at the top of the standings.
The season's centrepiece came at Royal Torbay Yacht Club for the Noble Marine RS500 National Championship. Paul Cullen and Fresh Abendstern delivered an outstanding performance to secure the national title, winning six of the nine races sailed. Emma and Luke McEwen finished second overall, with Simon Horsfield and Abi Skeith completing the podium.
The final round and Inland Championships at Grafham Water brought the National Tour to a close. Emma and Luke McEwen finished the season in style, winning the event ahead of Tim Wilkins and Fresh Abendstern to become the 2026 Inland Champions, with Mike Saul and Oli Kent taking third.
While four different teams won major events throughout the year, consistency ultimately decided the overall RS500 Rooster National Tour title. Tim Wilkins' results of first at Rutland, first at Gurnard and second at Grafham gave him a winning total of four points. Sailing with Heather Wilkins for most of the season and Fresh Abendstern at the Inland Championships, this team's ability to deliver strong results across a variety of venues and conditions proved decisive.
Mike Saul and Oli Kent finished second overall after adding their Dabchicks victory to podium finishes at Rutland and Grafham. Emma and Luke McEwen completed the overall podium following a strong second half of the season, including runner-up at the National Championships and victory at the Inland Championships.
2026 RS500 Rooster National Tour Top Three:
🥇Tim Wilkins & Heather Wilkins/Fresh Abendstern
🥈Mike Saul & Oli Kent
🥉Emma & Luke McEwan
The RS500 class would like to thank Rooster, title sponsor of the National Tour, for their continued support throughout the season. Through event prizes, vouchers and their presence at the National Championships, Rooster helped make the series a success for competitors across the fleet.
Thanks are also due to all the host clubs, race officers, volunteers and sailors who contributed to another excellent year of RS500 racing. With strong competition throughout the fleet and winners emerging from across the country, the class looks forward to another successful season in 2027.
View the full RNT results here.
Photos by Digital Sailing and Paul Sanwell/OPP
