Tiree Wave Classic - event photograph

Round 6 of 7 · BWA UK Wave Tour 2026

Tiree Wave Classic

10–16OCT 2026

Isle of Tiree - Hebrides · Scotland West

Registration page Entries closed

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Dates
10–16 Oct 2026
Location
Isle of Tiree - Hebrides
Region
Scotland West
Format
Fixed dates
Entry opens
1 August 2026
Entry closes
26 September 2026
Event host
William Maclean
Classification
The Tiree Wave Classic 2026 is a fixed dates event which counts towards National Scottish titles and the UK tour titles.

About the event

Round 6 of the BWA National Tour.

The longest running and most prestigious event of the British tour is based on the Isle of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides, situated four hours by ferry from the west coast of Scotland. This is a one week long fixed dates event. A true pilgrimage in wavesailing!

This is a fixed dates event. Early booking of ferries and accommodation is strongly advised.

Tiree Wave Classic is a Community Interest Company (CIC) which is formally registered with Companies House and is a not-for-profit organisation committed to promoting wavesailing through training and competition. Tiree has a track history of providing the ultimate training ground for competitors and hence is a one week long, fixed dates, no refund event.

As with all windsurf competitions, the ability to run the event is dependent on suitable weather. Our aim is to hold competition whenever conditions allow. October has been selected based due to its 40 year plus wind and wave statistics. In the event of unsuitable conditions, Tiree Wave Classic will always lay on additional activities and entertainment to keep competitors engaged and productive during ‘waiting’ periods.

The Tiree Wave Classic 2026 is a fixed dates event which counts towards National Scottish titles and the UK tour titles.

What is a fixed dates event? A fixed dates event is an event that is either long enough in duration as to virtually ensure that some kind of weather conditions are received at a competition venue, or where the possibility or rolling over the event to future dates, in the event of no conditions, is not easy or possible. Tiree is a non refundable event since: 1: You have to book it like a holiday. 2: We have fixed overheads. 3: There is almost always wind! 4: In the event of no wind, lots of other activities are laid on for competitors to engage with. This style of event can be a little easier to plan your trip around since it is going ahead one way or the other.

Getting there: You can travel to Tiree by driving to Oban and getting the ferry, or by flying from either Glasgow or Oban. For ferry bookings, timetables or other enquiries please visit the Caledonian MacBrayne website at www.calmac.co.uk. For flight information from Glasgow please visit www.loganair.co.uk. For flight information from Oban please visit www.hebrideanair.co.uk. For more information on Tiree and across Scotland, please visit the VisitScotland website: www.visitscotland.com. For a complete listing of all accommodation available on Tiree, please visit the island’s portal website: www.isleoftiree.com. This also contains information on all aspects of Tiree lifestyle and what is happening on the island at any time.

Want to book some watersports for family or friends?! Have a look at: www.wilddiamond.co.uk

Entry information

Entry opens: 1st August 2026. Entry closes: 26th September 2026.
(Refunds for entries will not be offered after 30/01/26).
To deliver a safe, well-run and professionally supported event, we must secure judges, safety teams and media crews in advance for the full potential event period. This carries unavoidable costs. For that reason, we will retain 100% of the entry fee regardless of whether the competition ultimately runs. This ensures that the event remains financially sustainable and can continue in future years.

Youth camp details

Dates: 10th-16th (inc) October 2026
Kids Training: Twenty four places for ages 8-17. Three instructors.
This is the highlight of the kids wave training calendar! A week long course of intensive manoeuvre oriented training, culminating in a dedicated kids wave event.
The minimum entry level requirement for this training event is competent waterstarting/carve gybing ability level with chop hopping ability being desirable.

Results

Results appear here after the event.

Watch previous events online

Previous event winners

Mens

  1. 1985Mark Wills
  2. 1986Duncan Coombes
  3. 1987Stuart Sawyer
  4. 1988Duncan Coombes
  5. 1989Stuart Holland
  6. 1990Nik Baker
  7. 1991Rich Foster
  8. 1992Nigel Howell
  9. 1993Danny Seales
  10. 1994Niels Larsen
  11. 1995Mike Viscovich
  12. 1996Jamie Hawkins
  13. 1997Nik Baker
  14. 2002Chris Audsley
  15. 2003John Skye
  16. 2004Chris Audsley/Ben Proffitt (Triple Crown/Waves)
  17. 2005John Skye/Ben Proffitt (Triple Crown/Waves)
  18. 2006Jamie Hancock
  19. 2007Kauli Seadi/Phil Horrocks (PWA/BWA Tiree)
  20. 2008John Skye
  21. 2009Timo Mullen
  22. 2010/2013Ben Proffitt
  23. 2014Phil Horrocks
  24. 2015Ross Williams
  25. 2016Phil Horrocks
  26. 2017Adam Lewis
  27. 2018Marc Pare Rico
  28. 2019Phil Horrocks
  29. 2020no event (pandemic)
  30. 2021Phil Horrocks
  31. 2022Julian Salmon
  32. 2023Lucas Meldrum
  33. 2024Lucas Meldrum
  34. 2025Dieter Van Der Eyken
  35. 2026 

Womens

  1. 1985?
  2. 1986Louise Freeman
  3. 1987Clare Seeger
  4. 1988?
  5. 1989Debbie Sawyer?!
  6. 1990Rachel Medd
  7. 1991Rachel Medd?
  8. 1992Christine Spreiter
  9. 1993Christine Spreiter
  10. 1994Christine Spreiter
  11. 1995?
  12. 1996Billy Wheaton
  13. 1997Bel Stanley
  14. 2002Louise Emery
  15. 2003Louise Emery
  16. 2004Charlie Connely (Waves only for the ladies?)
  17. 2005Ruth Elliot (Triple Crown & Waves)
  18. 2006Ruth Elliot
  19. 2007(No Result)
  20. 2008Louise Emery
  21. 2009Marie Buchannan
  22. 2010/2012Debbie Kennedy
  23. 2013/2014Justyna Sniady
  24. 2015Sara Kellet
  25. 2016/18Sarah Hilder
  26. 2019Liath Campbell
  27. 2020no event (pandemic)
  28. 2021/2022Marine Hunter
  29. 2023Liath Campbell
  30. 2024/2025Cori MacFarlane
  31. 2026 

Event History

Who identified Tiree as a windsurfer’s paradise?

The legend, because that is what it has become, suggests that it was Graham Strong from Scottish Television who realised the island’s potential while making a film on the lifestyle within its small community.

The concept of the Tiree Wave Classic was the brainchild of Glaswegian, Steve Bisset who was producing a windsurfing magazine called Carve and Gybe in 1985, the year of the first “classic”. Although Tiree, as a windsurfing venue had only recently been “discovered,” word of the conditions found on the island had already become legendary and Steve had little difficulty in assembling a group of the UK”s top sailors for this first major wavesailing competition in Scotland. Mark Wood, Pete Clarke, Duncan Coombs, Pete Caldwell are just a few of the well-known names who made the pilgrimage from the deep south. Unfortunately, the great expectations were not fulfilled due to unfavourable weather conditions and no competition took place. The visitors had grasped the enourmous potential though, and a repeat performance was inevitable!. Sadly too ‘Carve and Gybe’ faltered and the instigator of the Tiree Wave Classic slipped out of the windsurfing scene.

Enter Andy Groom and Joe Kelly, proprietors of windsurfing shop 7th Wave. Andy, Joe, and many of their customers had become very attached to Tiree and as the legend continued to grow they decided to adopt the “Classic”, they are responsible for the event as we know it today. With just a hint of flamboyancy, a few phone calls and letters went out to Hawaii inviting such people as Pete Cabrinha and Fred Haywood, it was an ambitious move but it wasn’t surprising that the invitations weren’t accepted; Tiree is a long way from anywhere apart from Coll and the prize money on offer wouldn’t start to cover any of those guys expenses.

What was successful, however, was the publicity campaign at home, and in 1986 more people were to join the pilgrimage to this, now hallowed, place. Before long names such as Duncan Coombs, Peter Hart, Jamie Knox, Dave Cordell, Justin Hooper Geenhill and many more appeared on the entry list along with all the top Scots.

The event itself was considered by most to be an unqualified success and made the most of the variety offered on this special island. Three different beaches were used on various days with the final taking place at Crossapol. This was a truly “Classic” day with a force 5-6 blowing cross-offshore giving, at times, mast high waves.

Archive photograph: a red Ford Escort with boards on the roof on TireeArchive photograph: windsurfers celebrating at a Tiree prize-giving
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