Keith Wilkins
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| Born | c.1945 (age 80–81) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Partner | Linda | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Regional finals | 1976 European Championships: Laser – Gold | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| Updated on 14 September 2025 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Keith Wilkins (born c. 1945) is a British sailor and sailing coach, who competed in the Laser class. He won the men's title at the 1976 Laser European Championship in Torquay, England;[1] and has won the ILCA Masters World Championships thirteen times.[2]
Sailing career
Wilkins began sailing aged 29 years and less than two years later won the European championship. He was not coached and taught himself.[3] Wilkins sailed for Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club, in Bristol, which listed him among notable former members of its Laser fleet;, and later raced and coached with Chelmarsh Sailing Club in Shropshire.[4][5][6]
After competing is World Championships titles during the 1970s and 1980s, Wilkins turned his attention to the World Masters Championships in 1988 and became one of the most successful competitors in the Laser/ILCA Masters scene.[3] Between 1991[a] and 1996, Wilkins was undefeated as World Masters Champion. He was placed third in the 1997 World Masters held in Algarrobo, Chile.[7] In 1999, Wilkins won the World Masters Championship, held in Melbourne, Australia;[8] repeated in the following year, in Cancún, Mexico;[9] and again in 2002, in Hyannis, where it was reported that he defended his title.[10][11]
Following his 65th birthday, at the 2010 Laser Masters World Championships held in Hayling Island, Wilkins was required to race in the Laser Radial Great Grand Master fleet. He won the division and was reported as taking his eleventh Laser Masters World Championship title.[12][13][14] He won his 12th World Masters Championship in San Francisco, USA, in 2011;[15] and he was described as a 12-time world champion during the 2012 Laser World Masters in Brisbane, Australia.[16] He continued to feature at Masters level, including a podium in the Radial Great Grand Master division at the 2015 Laser Masters Worlds, in Kingston, Canada;[17][18] and in 2025, he was described as a 13-time world-champion.[2]
Earlier in 2010 he also claimed titles at the Open Asia Pacific Laser Championships, held at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya, winning the Great Grand Master category and placing third in the Radial fleet overall.[19]
During his career, Wilkins has coached British sailors, including Ben Ainslie, and internationally in Canada, China, India, Korea, Pakistan, and the United States.[3]
Notes
- ^ Masters World Championships were not held in 1992.
References
- ^ "Hall of Fame – ILCA 7 European Champions". EurILCA. International Laser Class Association (Europe). 6 December 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
1976 — Torquay GBR — Gold: Keith Wilkins
- ^ a b "Race Report: Saturday 20 December 2025". Double Bay Sailing Club. Sydney, Australia. 22 December 2025. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
… legendary Laser / ILCA sailor and 13-times world-champion, Keith Wilkins, who provided able assistance…
- ^ a b c Boyd, James (19 September 2010). "Hayling wind gods come up trumps". The Daily Sail. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
- ^ "Fleets – Lasers at Chew Valley". Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
Lasers at Chew … ex members include Keith Wilkins …
- ^ "Racing Fleets". Chelmarsh Sailing Club. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
Chelmarsh … had a … Grand Master World Champion (Keith Wilkins) in this class in its fleet.
- ^ "Chelmarsh Sailing Club". Sail-World. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
… Laser race clinics (led by world Grand master Keith Wilkins) …
- ^ Doug (31 October 1997). "1997 Laser Master World Championships (Algarrobo, Chile)". Improper Course. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
Wilkins finished 3 points back, and was disappointed to be beaten for the first time in a World's competition since 1990.
- ^ Doug (22 January 1999). "1999 Laser Master World Championships (Melbourne, Australia)". Improper Course. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
Felt really good about finishing 2nd, 3 points behind Wilkins.
- ^ "Laser Masters World Championships Overall". Yachts & Yachting. 2 April 2000. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
- ^ "Final Report". World Sailing. 1 October 2002. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
Keith Wilkins (GBR) … successfully defended his Great Grand Masters title.
- ^ "2002 Laser Masters Worlds, Hyannis Yacht Club, USA". Yachts & Yachting. 30 September 2002. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
- ^ "Laser Masters Worlds at Hayling Island Sailing Club – Overall". Yachts & Yachting. 19 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
Keith Wilkins (GBR) … Laser Radial Great Grand Master fleet winner.
- ^ "Ferguson Retains Standards Masters Title". World Sailing. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
… Keith Wilkins … won his 11th Laser Worlds title today …
- ^ "Laser Masters World Championships – Ferguson standards masters title". Sail-World. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
… Laser Radial Great Grand Master fleet winner …
- ^ "Shropshire's Keith Wilkins sails to 12th world title". BBC Sport. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2026.
- ^ "2012 Laser World Masters Championships day 3 – Getting serious". Sail-World. March 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
… six points ahead of 12 times World Champion Keith Wilkins (GBR).
- ^ "2015 Laser Masters – Radial Great Grand Master Fleet (Final Results)". CORK/Kingston. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
Radial Great Grand Master – 3rd: Keith Wilkins (GBR).
- ^ "Laser Masters' World Championships 2015". Sailing Scuttlebutt. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
… Radial Great Grand Master Division … Keith Wilkins (GBR) finishes 3rd.
- ^ "Sailor Keith makes waves in Pacific win". Shropshire Star. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
… Chelmarsh Sailing Club's Keith Wilkins won two awards …