On Friday 11 September, Hannah Muir, Head of Bishop Skinner Marine attended the 2026 Musto iQFOiL World Championships in Weymouth and Portland. Here is what Hannah enjoyed the most.
I recently attended the Musto iQFOiL World Championships and was genuinely impressed by what the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) had created. Yes, the racing was spectacular. But what really caught my attention was watching the ELEVATE:iQFOiL programme in action and seeing the direct impact it was having on young people discovering windsurfing for the first time.
The racing
186 athletes from 41 nations brought incredible racing. The conditions were perfect for it. South westerly breezes between 15 and 25 knots with the occasional gust made for the kind of tactical, demanding racing that keeps you watching. Tamar Steinberg dominated the women's field, winning 7 of her 16 races in qualifying.
What stood out: the young people
As a mum and someone who works in the marine industry, I was struck by what I saw with the ELEVATE programme. Young people aged 8 to 16 were talking about their experiences out on the water with the Andrew Simpson Centre team. What impressed me most was that they genuinely felt the difference it had made to them. Not because they'd been told to, but because you could see it.
These kids weren't sitting on the sidelines. They were actively out on the water, learning skills, building confidence, and discovering what it actually feels like to do something challenging and new. That matters. As someone who loves the water myself, I want my daughter to have these kinds of experiences at an early age.
Why it matters
When kids get time on the water, especially in a supportive environment like this, something shifts. They're building resilience and real competence, not just having a nice day out. They're connecting with the water and nature in a way that sticks with them. And they're seeing elite athletes at the top of their game, which shows them what's possible.
Bishop Skinner Marine and the RYA
We're proud to be part of an organisation that partners with the Royal Yachting Association. The RYA's focus on youth development, grassroots participation, and genuine inclusivity is exactly the kind of work that matters in our industry. They're not just running championships, they're building the next generation of people who love the water and the sport.
The bigger picture
The venue is world class. The organisation is excellent. But what makes this event special is that the RYA understood that bringing the best competitors to Weymouth and Portland also meant bringing the opportunity to thousands of young people who might never have experienced windsurfing otherwise. That's how you grow sport sustainably.
From watching elite athletes deliver precision racing to seeing the genuine progress kids make in a single session on the water, the iQFOil World Championships showed what happens when you do sport right. It welcomes everyone, challenges everyone, and transforms the people who take part.
I'm already keen to see what happens next year, and I'm definitely keen to get my daughter out on the water in the same way these young people have been.”
