Ballyholme Yacht Club celebrated one of its strongest-ever performances at the Topper World Championships after six young sailors competed against an international fleet in Quiberon, France. The championship, hosted by La Société des Régates de Saint-Pierre Quiberon, attracted 176 competitors from across Europe and Asia.
The standout result came from 13-year-old Leo West-Hurst, who secured bronze in the 5.3 fleet after a consistent week of racing against 134 sailors representing countries including China, Latvia, France, Spain, Ukraine and Great Britain.
Light and unpredictable winds dominated the opening qualifying races, with long delays ashore as competitors waited for sea breezes to develop over the Breton Peninsula. West-Hurst remained among the front-runners throughout qualifying before winning the final qualifying race by 50 seconds to move into second place heading into the championship series.
World Class — A packed fleet of Topper dinghies races off Quiberon, France, during the 2026 Topper World Championships, where Ballyholme Yacht Club's Leo West-Hurst claimed a historic bronze medal and the club recorded their best-ever overall results. Photo: G.Touren
The challenging conditions continued throughout the week, but consistent finishes kept him in podium contention. Only one race was completed on the final day in very light winds, confirming his third-place finish overall.
The club also recorded several other notable performances across the fleet. Emma West-Hurst, 14, qualified for the Gold Fleet and finished 20th overall, placing sixth among the girls in her fourth World Championship appearance. Competing at her first Worlds, 13-year-old Caroline Byrne also reached the Gold Fleet. She finished 26th overall and 10th girl, with an eighth-place finish in race six among her highlights.
Max Boyd, also 13 and competing at his first World Championship, placed 22nd in the Silver Fleet, recording top-10 finishes of fifth and eighth during the championship series. John-Myles Crossan and Freddie Robinson, both aged 11, made their World Championship debuts in the 4.2 fleet, gaining valuable international racing experience.
Team Effort — Ballyholme Yacht Club's six-strong squad in Quiberon, France, where the club recorded its best-ever Topper World Championships results, led by Leo West-Hurst's historic bronze medal
The club said many of the sailors began their careers through Ballyholme Yacht Club's Dolphins & Sharks training programme, highlighting the pathway from introductory sailing to international competition.
Support also came from former club commodores Elaine and David Taylor, who travelled to Quiberon aboard their yacht Whiskey Mac. The pair watched racing from the water throughout much of the championship and hosted parents while supporting the Ballyholme team.
The club also acknowledged the coaching and support provided by RYA Northern Ireland, Irish Sailing, Topper Ireland and Ballyholme Yacht Club coach Charlotte Eadie throughout the event.
