Who will be crowned GBR eSailing National Champion 2020?

GBR National Championship final © RYA

Tune in at 10am on Saturday 19 September to find out who will be crowned GBR eSailing National Champion 2020.

Launched at the RYA Dinghy Show in March, the eSailing GBR National Championship, in partnership with World Sailing and Virtual Regatta, provides sailors with an online opportunity to race against friends, fellow sailors and real-world Olympic Champions.

Over the past six months racers up and down the country have been racing online to battle it out on the virtual waters in a bid to earn their place at the national final that will be live streamed this Saturday on both the RYA YouTube and Facebook channels as well as on the YachtsandYachting.com and Sail-World.com UK homepages.

Of the 9,013 competitors who have taken part this year, the finalists, including the current national champion, the top ranked female and the RYA eSailing Club and Class Champions will go head to head for the national title. Our finalists, with a brief resume, in their own words, of their experience, are:

Donnie Gillies
Race name: Donnie Gillies (formerly Maradonnie)
Ranking: 1
Sailing Club: Castle Semple Sailing Club - Scotland
Experience: Winner of inaugural British e-sailing championships 2019. 2nd in 1995 Scottish Champion of Champions

Mike O'Donovan
Race name: Déjà vu
Ranking: 2
Sailing Club: Stokes Bay Sailing Club / ASYC - South Region
Experience: eSailGP World Champion, RYA Class Champion, 2nd RYA Club Champs

Paul McCombie
Race name: Bell Rock
Ranking: 3
Sailing Club: St Andrews Sailing Club - Scotland
Experience: Winner Solo Spring eSailing Champs, Average Solo racer on Scottish circuit, Below average Waszp sailor

Alasdair Ireland
Race name: speedy_1
Ranking: 4
Sailing Club: Royal Northern & Clyde Sailing Club - Scotland
Experience: Winner of RYA eSailing Club Championships, Winner of Royal Northern & Clyde eSailing Series

Douglas Newell
Race name: TP52GLAD
Ranking: 5
Sailing Club: Island Sailing Club - South Region
Experience: Half tonner -Round the Island race (x8), Cowes Week (x4), double handed series Royal southern (x3), Nab tower race (x6). Boat captain / Boatbuilder Gladiator Sailing Team

Andrew Williams
Race name: Mazza
Ranking: 6
Sailing Club: Hardway Sailing Club - South Region
Experience: Youth Mirror sailor, Nationals and Europeans. Now local club cruiser racing

Adam McGovern
Race name: AdamGP14
Ranking: 7
Sailing Club: Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club - North West Region
Experience: 2019 GP14 Northern Champs - 2nd, RYA eSailing Demo Event: 1st, GP14 eSailing Irish Nationals: 1st, GP14 eSailing World Championships: 4th

Alastair Jenkin
Race name: Jemcast
Ranking: 8
Sailing Club: Chichester Yacht Club - London & South East Region
Experience: Wide ranging, including foiling and multihull

Bryan Davies
Race name: Skippafire
Ranking: 9
Sailing Club: King and Queen - South Region
Experience: Lots and lots of sailing

Cavan Fyans
Race name: ACF
Ranking: 11
Sailing Club: Ballyholme Yacht Club - Northern Ireland
Experience: Local / Regional / National Laser sailor of varying success

Jonathan Fish
Race name: Fish Face
Ranking: 12
Sailing Club: Waldringfield Sailing Club - East Region
Experience: Lots...

Toby Bloomfield
Race name: Toby Bloomfield
Ranking: 13
Sailing Club: Paignton Sailing Club - South West Region
Experience: 29er class national squad, 10th RS800 nationals

Phil Manning
Race name: Phil Manning
Ranking: 14
Sailing Club: Delph Sailing Club - North West Region
Experience: 1st Streaker Northern Championships 2019, 1st Streaker Border Reivers Series 2019, 2nd Streaker Northern Paddle 2019 (tied points with 1st)

Issy Waha
Race name: isswizz
Ranking: 25 (top ranked female GBR eSailor)
Sailing Club: Royal Southern Yacht Club - South Region
Experience: Finalist in eSailing Youth Nationals, represented RSYC in the South eSailing Regional Finals, represented SB20 class in RYA eSailing Spring Class Championship Final

Hugh Brayshaw
Race name: Hugh Brayshaw
Ranking: 53 (certified player status)
Sailing Club: Lyme Regis Sailing Club - South West Region
Experience: Navigator/ skipper, 3x Solitaire du Figaro sailor, 1st IRC overall RORC myth of Malhem 2019, former British Sailing Team 470 crew and 420 National Youth Champion.

Megan Pascoe
Race name: Megan Pascoe
Ranking: 118 (certified player status)
Sailing Club: Frensham Pond SC / Shoreham SC - London & South East Region
Experience:2 x 2.4mr World Champion

"It's an honour to he invited along to the finals. My virtual racing results are a bit inconsistent and since going back to the wet stuff practicing has gone downhill. But it will be great to be racing against the best in the country and I'm looking forward to the challenge", commented finalist Megan Pascoe.

"I'm looking forward to competing in the final on Saturday. It will definitely be tough competition but I am up for the challenge", added Issy Waha.

While Alistair Jenkin commented on his pre final preparations: "Two weeks sailing on the south coast immediately prior to the event is not the best practice, but really looking forward to the final."

"With such a phenomenal level of sailing experience both on the water and in the virtual arena it's looking like this is going to be an exciting final. I can't wait to see who will become our national eSailing champion", commented Celia Edgington, RYA Shows and Promotions Manager.

As well as the title of GBR eSailing National Champion 2020 our winner will receive a Musto Jacket courtesy of Musto, plus a dryrobe and Musto cap from the RYA.

Your commentators for the live event will be 470 Olympic silver medallist and British Sailing Team 49er crew Stuart Bithell and RYA Regional Development Officer, Susie Moore.

So set your alarm and tune in at 10am this Saturday for all the live action and cheer on your favourite.

Watch on the RYA YouTube channel or on the RYA Facebook page as well as the YachtsandYachting.com and Sail-World.com UK homepages.

To find out more about eSailing visit www.rya.org.uk/go/esailing

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