A relatively small fleet of 31 Flying Fifteens has assembled in Palma de Mallorca for the 2026 European Championship, but the entry list is packed with former world, European and national champions, including a seven-boat Irish contingent.
Racing began on Wednesday, 7 October, on the Bay of Palma, with crews from Ireland, Britain, Spain, Brazil and Australia competing for the European title over four days.
The championship, hosted by Club de Mar-Mallorca, features eight scheduled races, with two per day until Saturday, 10 October.
Irish Olympic and World Championship Experience
Ireland's seven-boat challenge includes former Fireball world and European champion John Lavery, who won both titles in 1995, and two-time Olympian Peter Kennedy.
Lavery, sailing with Billy Russell, is among three experienced National Yacht Club combinations from Dún Laoghaire. Alan Green is competing with Caroline Hanniffy, while David Gorman is sailing with Chris Doorly.
Kennedy represented Ireland in the Flying Dutchman class at the 1988 Seoul and 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. He is sailing with his daughter Juliette, with whom he won the 2022 Flying Fifteen Championship of Ireland on Dublin Bay.
Niall and Laura Coleman are another Irish family combination, while National Yacht Club sailors Niall Meagher and Nicki Matthews are also entered, along with Ian Mathews.
The seven Irish boats made the journey to Mallorca together aboard a large transporter, involving two ferry crossings.
The Dún Laoghaire fleet has previous experience of competing at European level. Defending Champions Among Strong British Entry
Britain's Ian Pinnell and Ian Cadwallader are among the leading names in Palma, having won the European Championship at Morgat, France, in 2024.
Cadwallader also won the 2026 British National Championship as helmsman, adding another title to his record ahead of the European series.
Greg Wells, European champion in 2012 and 2014, is another former titleholder in the fleet, while Charles Apthorp brings further championship experience, having won the Europeans in 2004 and the world title in 2001.
Hamish Mackay and Andrew Lawson, who won the 2018 Europeans at Lake Garda, are also competing. The British pair finished fifth at the 2023 World Championship in Perth, Australia.
Australia's Philippa Packer is sailing with Dean McAullay, the current Commodore of Flying Fifteen International and a former world champion crew, having won the 2009 title.
Mallorca Sailors Face International Challenge
The home fleet includes eight boats from Real Club Nàutic Puerto Pollença, whose crews will be hoping to make local knowledge count against the visiting championship contenders.
Spanish Flying Fifteen class president Rafa Juan Benitez is sailing with Juan Casares, while Victor Perez, a two-time Spanish Snipe national champion, is competing with Mark Branagh.
Brazilian sailor Bernardo Arndt, a former Olympic 470 competitor, is sailing with his son Marcos. The pair are based in Mallorca and are among several family combinations taking part.
Others include Charles and Charlie Apthorp, Ralph and Ivo Hennig, and Stephen and Philip Parry.
The Flying Fifteen, designed by Uffa Fox and first launched in 1949, remains an established international two-person keelboat class. The European Championship is held every two years, with Mallorca succeeding Morgat as host venue.
The 2026 championship concludes on Saturday, when the European title will be decided.
The official championship entry list is available from Club de Mar-Mallorca.
