Donaghadee Topper Sprints Challenge 2026
July 25 - July 26
Welcome to Donaghadee Sailing Club’s fun filled TOPPER SPRINT challenge.
Back for 2026! (July 25 & 26th)
Not travelling to the Topper Worlds or UK Nationals???
Which means you’ve got an 8 week gap in your event calendar!!!
Sad times indeed.
But fear not, Donaghadee Sailing Club has you covered.
We are hosting an event in the middle of that 8 week gap.
But let’s mix it up a little and have a SPRINT event.
It’s been a few years since we’ve been able to run this event for the Topper Class, but we’re back for 2026 with a bang!
So come along to Donaghadee, race in this fast paced, full filled challenge.
The emphasis of the Topper SPRINT challenge at DSC is on a fun filled learning experience, it is rather different to that of a normal traveller race day or weekend. It’s all about getting practise at starts, mark rounding, finishes, making new friends & having fun, so whether you are a seasoned racer or just starting out on your Topper journey this event is for you!
DSC has hosted these SPRINT events in the past. (Just ask your older siblings how much fun they were.) On previous years we saw 90+ starts across the whole fleet, with short, close racing with the race area in Donaghadee Bay. This, close to shore race area, allows for spectacular viewing either from the clubhouse or the promenade.
Saturday: Boats will be split into flights (mini fleets) of 5-6 topper sailors per fleet. Saturday will be a quickfire series of back-to-back races, with a start signal and flag approximately every 3 minutes for a new race.
The individual race durations are planned to take between 10-15min to complete before you line up again for the next race. Meaning each participant will have around 10 short races over the whole day.
Sunday: The competitors will be once again be split/ranked into new Gold, Silver & Bronze fleets (based on Saturdays results) for Sundays GRAND FINALS.
This ranking means, everyone of all abilities will get a chance to win their category. It should be a good few days fun!
It is a great opportunity to try something new.
An event where consistency is the key to success.
Numbers will be limited and entries must be booked & paid for HERE.