Runners and Riders at the RS800 Noble Marine National Championship 2026
It’s time for the RS800s to take centre stage as the fleet heads to Torbay for the 2026 Noble Marine National Championship. With the RS700s and RS500s also taking on their Nationals at the same venue, the English Riviera is set for a serious dose of high-speed RS action. With the 800s bringing their trademark pace and power to the iconic waters of Torbay, it promises to be quite a spectacle.
The RS200s have already had their turn, taking on everything Torbay could throw at them earlier this month. They’ve set the benchmark, and now the 800s have their chance to see what the famous bay has in store. With a large, open race area and plenty of room for the breeze and waves to make their presence felt, Torbay should provide the perfect arena for some serious skiff racing.
So, who are the ones to watch? Brett Tudor has cast his expert eye over the entry list and picked out the boats he thinks are likely to be leading the charge. But as we all know, Nationals rarely go exactly to plan. Could an outsider upset the form and sneak into the top spots?
Here are Brett’s runners and riders for the RS800 Nationals – and we’ll soon find out whether his predictions stand up once the racing gets underway!
Tom Morris & Guy Fillmore
It would be a disservice to start with anyone else other than the reigning national champions. Tom and Guy’s ever-consistent presence at the front of the fleet means they top this list of national champion hopefuls. A late sign-up by these two caused everyone else to despair as they saw their chances halved. However, will their lack of event practise as of late give someone else a chance to take the crown?
Bryan Ormond & Anna Ormond
Who let that aircraft carrier onto the racecourse? Brian and Anna are always incredibly smooth (especially bearing in mind the distance they have to travel from one wing to the other) and will be hoping to return to their national tour form after a difficult Euros. They may also be praying for some lighter winds! Already with two 2ndplace finishes this season, they will be looking to go one better.
Louis Johnson & Lucy Hewitson
Having won the 2026 European Championships, Louis and Lucy will be hoping to do the double at Torbay with an impressive set of results in both big breeze and light and shifty conditions in Travemunde; they will be eager to continue that form for this event. Lucy might be expecting some German beer garden music too!
Tim Gratton & Arthur Henderson
Tim and Arthur are back for their annual appearance in the 800 fleet, and we are glad to see them again! The question is, how much have they been secretly training, or have they converted to winging full-time? With an incredible knack for sailing extremely fast before falling over, can they get dialled in and eliminate errors quickly enough to mount a challenge for the championship? Time will tell.
Monique Vennis-Ozanne & Hugh Shone
What to say about this team that hasn’t been said… Our current national tour leaders, attending every event this year (Thanks for keeping our class alive!!), haven’t finished outside the top 2 all season. Always quick on the water or with a joke at the end of the day, Hugh has shone brightly in this fleet for many years, especially alongside Monique in recent memory. If you get a chance to ask him about his purse, it’s worth a conversation! Can they get their elusive national title?
Blake Tudor & Brett Tudor
I will throw myself in the mix (to make it an even number of runners and riders!) Despite some solid results at both Lymington and Travemunde, inconsistency has left the Tudor brothers falling short of titles. They will need to sharpen up to be in with a real chance of becoming National Champions.
With 15 boats entered, we look forward to welcoming some new, as well as lots of familiar, faces across the fleet and are hopeful for four days of competitive racing!
See you there!
Brett.
