B14 - The Inclusive Skiff - One Year On
by B14 Class Association 22 Jul 13:11 BST
Mixed B14 teams celebrate after the championships © B14 Class Association
When the B14 Class Association published The Inclusive Skiff following the 2025 World Championship in Sydney, the article highlighted something many sailors already knew: the B14 is a high-performance class that welcomes an extraordinary range of competitors. Mixed crews made up half of the championship fleet, sailors ranged from 15 to 71 years old, and for the first time in class history a mixed crew won the World Championship.
Eighteen months later, the Pathfinder Homes Global Championship at Royal Torbay Yacht Club provided an opportunity to revisit that theme.
The results suggest that the B14's reputation as the inclusive skiff is stronger than ever. The fleet brought together teams from Great Britain and Australia, experienced champions and first-time competitors, married couples, siblings, parents and children, mixed crews, and long-standing sailing partnerships. All shared the same start line and competed on equal terms throughout nine races of championship racing.
What stands out most is how varied the successful teams were.
Mixed crews once again featured prominently throughout the fleet. Three mixed teams finished inside the top ten, including the overall winners. Ralph Singleton and Lucy Loughton sailed Squirrel to the championship title with an outstandingly consistent series. Lucy's victory was particularly notable, coming a year after she became the first female sailor to win a B14 World Championship as part of the groundbreaking mixed crew success in Sydney.
The fact that mixed teams once again featured so strongly throughout the results suggests that achievement was not an isolated milestone, but part of a broader evolution within the class.
Australian sailors Glenn Cardwell and Karen Branch sailed Bandit to an impressive second place overall, while Richie Reynolds and Lissa McMillan secured seventh in The Nude. Together, these results underline a simple point: mixed teams are not just participating in the B14, they are regularly competing for podium places and championship titles.
Pathfinder Homes B14 Global Championship at Torbay Day 4 © Bob Penfold
Family partnerships were equally evident throughout the fleet.
James and Anne Gardner guided PSB Repairs to ninth overall, while Simon and Nikki Hadley also claimed a place in the top ten. Their results demonstrate that husband-and-wife teams can compete successfully in one of sailing's most exciting high-performance classes.
The Banbrook brothers, Matt and Toby, delivered one of the standout performances of the championship, finishing eighth overall and proving that sibling rivalries can be just as effective.
Meanwhile, Australian sailors Brady and Penny Tassicker showcased one route into the class as a father-and-daughter team, highlighting one of the B14's most appealing qualities: the ability for family members of different generations to race together in a genuinely competitive boat.
They were joined by Steve and Hannah McDonald, another father-and-daughter combination, further demonstrating the class's strong family appeal. At just 16 years old, Hannah was also the youngest competitor at the event, underlining the B14's ability to attract and develop the next generation of sailors.
Women also continue to play an increasingly visible role throughout the fleet. Lucy & Karen helped secure a podium finish, Anne and Nikki achieved top-ten results, and Kathy Sherratt, Amy Roberts and Geraldine Fermor all competed as female helms in the championship. Across the fleet, women featured in leading campaigns, family partnerships and mixed crews, reflecting a class where opportunities are defined by ability rather than convention.
Pathfinder Homes B14 Global Championship at Torbay Day 4 © Bob Penfold
Perhaps the most telling aspect of the championship is that these stories no longer feel exceptional.
The B14 remains one of the world's premier high-performance hiking skiffs, but it continues to demonstrate that success comes in many forms. There is no single age, gender, physique or background required to be competitive. Whether sailors arrive through youth sailing, family connections, club racing or international competition, the opportunity to succeed is the same.
The statistics from Sydney first highlighted the story. The results from Torbay reinforce it.
The B14 continues to prove that inclusivity and high performance are not opposing ideas. They are part of the same winning formula.
This article is also available to read over at Yachts and Yachting.