Young People Rise to the Challenge at ASTO’s 2026 Small Ships Event
The success of this year’s event lay not in a race won or lost, but in the resilience and adaptability shown by hundreds of young people when plans changed.
More than 220 young people from across the UK came together in Cowes, Isle of Wight, from 2-4 October for a weekend of adventure, teamwork and sail training as ASTO’s annual Small Ships event returned for another successful year.
Originally planned as the 2026 Small Ships Race, light winds across the Solent prompted organisers to rethink the weekend’s programme. Rather than allowing the conditions to curtail the event, crews embraced a new format, the Small Ships Challenge, which tested participants’ skills, creativity and teamwork both on and off the water.
The event brought together 21 vessels, 222 young people and 86 staff and volunteers from sail training organisations across the UK. Following the traditional parade of sail in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron, ASTO President, Sir Jerry Kyd fired the starting cannon, and crews set off to complete 34 challenges designed to develop confidence, encourage collaboration and strengthen problem-solving skills.
Tasks ranged from navigation exercises and vessel identification challenges to flag making, photography assignments and even creative snack platter competitions. The revised programme maintained the spirit of friendly competition while ensuring participants continued to benefit from the personal development opportunities at the heart of sail training.
The ability to adapt to changing circumstances became a powerful lesson in itself.
As one young person sailing on board Tall Ships Youth Trust’s Challenger 5 reflected:
“Plans can change, because today there was no wind, obviously the race was called off. And at first I was quite disappointed about that, but then I thought, well, that’s okay. I can still take out as much as I can from it. And I mean, it’s such a learning experience that things can go wrong and it’s still okay.”
Across the fleet, young people demonstrated determination, ingenuity and teamwork, with several vessels recognised for their achievements. Tectona secured the Class B title, Challenger 4 won Class C1 and Bright Star took first place in Class C2.
A special award was presented to 12-year-old Tilia Jackson, the youngest participant in the event, sailing aboard Tectona. The winners of each class also received copies of the Adlard Coles Reeds Nautical Almanac, kindly donated in support of the event.
“The Small Ships Challenge is a brilliant example of what makes sail training so powerful. While the weather may have changed our plans, it certainly didn’t change the enthusiasm, commitment and determination shown by everyone taking part.
The challenge encouraged young people to think creatively, work together and embrace new experiences. More importantly, it gave them the opportunity to build confidence, develop skills and create memories that will stay with them long after the event has ended. We’re incredibly proud of every young person who took part this year and grateful to the organisations, staff, volunteers and supporters who helped make such a successful weekend possible.”
Kerry McMillan, CEO - ASTO
ASTO Trustee David Snelson CB also praised participants for embracing the revised format.
“Thank you to all the crews for getting into the spirit of the event. The essence of a sail training trip is to deal with what you have in front of you, adapt your plan and make the best of it. That’s what we’ve done this weekend. It’s been great to see the energy and commitment that both trainees and boat staff have brought to the weekend and today in particular.”
David Snelson CB, Trustee - ASTO
First held in 2002, ASTO’s Small Ships events have become a longstanding fixture in the sail training calendar, visiting ports across the UK and Europe including Belfast, London, Dartmouth and St Peter Port. Cowes has hosted the event annually since 2004, bringing together young people from a wide range of backgrounds to experience the personal growth and adventure that sail training can provide.
This year’s event also highlighted the strength of collaboration across the sail training sector, with organisations, volunteers and supporters working together to deliver a safe, rewarding and memorable experience despite the change of format.
For many of the young people involved, the weekend was about more than competition. It was an opportunity to become part of a wider sail training community, meet crews from other vessels and discover what can be achieved through teamwork, resilience and adventure at sea.
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