Calanach Finlayson

Growing up in a remote glen in northeast Scotland, sailing wasn’t an obvious path for Calanach. However, inspired by the novels of Arthur Ransom, his fascination with the sport led him to Montrose Sailing Club, where he first set foot in a sailing dinghy at age 14.

While studying at Strathclyde University, Calanach began yacht racing with the university team and got a spot with a local team on the Clyde. In addition he volunteered with Ocean Youth Trust Scotland, eventually gaining his Yachtmaster qualification.

"Doublehanded offshore racing encapsulates so many elements of our everyday experience as humans. It teaches us resilience, the importance of trust and team work, discipline, self reliance and the power of positivity. On a race yacht we live in a microcosm of finite resources, sandwiched between sea and sky, with no control over what nature gives us, only how we adapt to it"

In 2017, after graduating with a master’s in yacht design, Calanach got his first taste of offshore racing, winning the RORC Season Points Championship with a youth team, including a successful Rolex Fastnet race. This ignited his passion for offshore racing as a career. A brief stint working for an e-commerce startup in Germany followed and Calanach spent his weekends racing fully crewed inshore, including winning the German ORC Champs two years running. As soon as COVID restrictions were lifted Calanach returned to the UK to pursue offshore racing.

Since 2021, Calanach has specialized in doublehanded offshore racing, sailing with Nick Martin on the Sunfast 3600 "Diablo." They became regular contenders in UK offshore races, including the Fastnet, Round Britain and Ireland, and much more. In 2023, during their second Fastnet race together, they experienced a dismasting on the first night. With broken sections of aluminium threatening to further damage the boat, they managed to recover everything and return safely to port.

In April 2024 Calanach embarked on the Cap Martinique transatlantic race doublehanded on a Sunfast 3300 "Plain Vanilla" with Dutch sailor Robert Jacobson. This was the culmination of a winter spent training and preparing in France, learning from some of the best in the game how to prepare for an oceanic race.

After leading the Cap Martinique in the early stages, a mechanical issue 400NM south of the Azores meant they had to abandon the race and turn north.

Calanach remains driven to improve and inspire others through sailing. When not offshore, he works as a race coach and rigger.