The Wilson Trophy is widely regarded as the premier team racing event in the world, attracting some of the world’s most skilled exponents of the discipline, along with many fleet racing and match racing world champions and Olympians.

The Wilson Trophy is held annually in May, taking place at the ‘theatre of dreams’ that is West Kirby Marine Lake. The venue is perfectly suited to team racing with (usually) uninterrupted winds blowing across the Dee Estuary with racing taking place meters from the shore, complimented by commentary and a grandstand for spectators. This is the stadium racing that so many other disciplines are trying to re-create but West Kirby have been doing it and doing it well for nearly 70 years.
The Wilson Trophy is a phenomenal event on the water with typically close to 300 races being run over the course of the event but it is equally well regarded for its off the water activities where long standing friendships are rekindled from around the world and the infamous Wilson dinner which now always includes a mystery guest speaker, the awarding of the Joyce Evans Trophy to the crew deemed most worthy and the now traditional singing of Jerusalem lead by Wilson stalwarts the Southampton Male Voice Choir. Fierce racing, fiercer socials and the 8am start times on Saturday and Sunday really make for one unforgettable event.

The Wilson Trophy is proud to be supporting and working with the Sail Up Foundation.

In 2023, a small group of Wilson Alumni sailors started the Sail Up Foundation with the mission to help young people start sailing and stay sailing! The aim of the foundation is to create lasting relationships between schools and sailing centres so that sailing activities are more accessible to young people who would not otherwise have the opportunity to sail.

In the foundations first year, they have supported schools in southwest London through grants for sailing programs and transport and built partnerships with sailing program providers. The funds raised go towards paying for sailing program fees, especially for disadvantaged students, ensuring that money is not a barrier to participation. The foundation has also funded transport for comprehensive schools that do not have their own minibuses. Last year, one of the schools that were funded to go sailing was the only comprehensive school to do a school trip to the sailing centre all summer term. In 2025, there are lots of new schools as well as some returning, to get on the water for a second year. It is shaping up to be a very exciting summer.

A few words from one of the Founders, Alexa Pinner – “While I am immensely proud of the work we have done so far, I am most proud of our Kids Committee, a group of 12 Sail Up program alumni ages 13-15. They came together to be creative and fundraise so more young people can share in the same experience as they did, and their events have been great fun. It’s fantastic opportunity to be supported by the Wilson Trophy and I’m looking forward to the event”

For more information on the Sail Up Foundation, please visit the website www.gosailup.org

West Kirby Sailing Club is proud to be working with the Magenta Project. Bringing equality for women in sailing