Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy

Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy - Day 1

by John Meadowcroft 23 Aug 19:16 UTC 22-28 August 2026

Two races were sailed on day one of the Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships at WPNSA and today was P&B Race Day.

Courses were expertly set in Weymouth Bay in a SE breeze which was remarkably consistent in strength and direction for the hour that the fleet sailed before the start.

Start of the first race in perfect condidtions on day 1 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Rob O'Neill

Suddenly race one was under way and previously unidentified pressure differences and wind shifts were evident. Those who played the right hand side of the first beat benefitted most and Sam Barker and Ben Rayner had the hull shot around the windward mark onto the run ahead of Andy Davis and Becky Caiger and then John Meadowcroft and Rory Gifford. Davis and Caiger sailed an excellent run to have a good lead at the leeward mark followed by Ollie Meadowcroft and Alex Pausey. The red boat of Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray had made steady progress into the leading pack. At the next windward mark Davis and Caiger still led but a dodgy kite hoist put them under pressure and Gillard and Gray past them to take the P&B winning moment and race one. James Goodfellow and George Major rolled Meadowcroft and Pausey on the final reach to take 3rd place.

When you are in 3rd place but have second place in your sights, you hike and then hike harder! Day 1 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Dougal Henshall

Race two was promptly under way. Ben Whaley and Chris Martin played the left of the course to perfection and took the hull shot and maintained the lead at the leeward mark with Gillard and Gray. Mike and Jane Calvert were on a charge through the fleet. Gillard and Gray took the P&B winning moment again, ahead of the Calverts with Whaley and Martin 3rd and Davis and Caiger taking 4th.

Ben Whaley and Chris Martin at the gybe mark during the second race on day 1 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Rob O'Neill

With super Sunday complete and 100% Hike Time going to Gillard and Gray, there are 5 days to go, seven races left, a crews race to come, an Academy reception tonight. Fancy dress is being prepared for Tuesday night. Rumours abound of high winds on Monday. Stay tuned to find out what happens next.

Taking the second gun. A wide angle lens would have been needed to get the 2nd place finisher in the shot on day 1 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Dougal Henshall

Sailors were welcome ashore with a bowl of pasta and a cold can of Merlin Rocket IPA courtesy of Barton Marine.

All of this is made possible thanks to our amazing sponsors, Aspire Financial Advisers, Barton Marine, ClamCleat, P&B and Winder Boats.

Results after Day 1:

Pos	Fleet	Sail No	Boat Name	Helm	Crew	Club	R1	R2	Pts
1	Platinum	3759	Red Mistress	Thomas Gillard	Rachael Gray	Sheffield Viking SC & Staunton Harold SC	1	1	2
2	Platinum	3824	Bonnie	Andy Davis	Becky Caiger	South Staffs SC	2	4	6
3	Platinum	3823	Gone with the wind	Ben Whaley	Chris Martin	Swanage SC	6	3	9
4	Platinum	3829	Back in Business	Mike Calvert	Jane Calvert	Axe YC	10	2	12
5	Gold	3793	Boris	James Goodfellow	George Major	Ardleigh SC	3	10	13
6	Platinum	3827	The return of the jedi	David Winder	Beka Jones	Hollingworth Lake SC	5	8	13
7	Platinum	3833	Didley Watsit	Jon Gorringe	Toby Lewis	Parkstone YC	7	6	13
8	Platinum	3771	Skip	Oliver Meadowcroft	Alex Pausey	Salcombe YC & Upper Thames SC	4	11	15
9	Platinum	3826	Dave	Arran Holman	Tom Pygall	Parkstone YC & Holywell SC	9	7	16
10	Platinum	3804	Rockatross	Sam Barker	Ben Rayner	Castle Cove SC	8	9	17
11	Gold	3746	Point n Squirt	James Wells	Lorna Glen	RYA	17	5	22
12	Platinum	3807	Baloo	Timothy Saxton	Faye Chatterton	Itchenor SC	11	12	23
13	Gold	3666	Ted	John Meadowcroft	Rory Gifford	Upper Thames SC & Salcombe YC	12	21	33
14	Gold	3727	Fragile	Mark Stockbridge	James Gifford	Upper Thames SC	14	19	33
15	Platinum	3796	Roberta	William Warren	Andy Prince	Shoreham SC	18	15	33
16	Gold	3710	Paradigm Shift	Jon Ibbotson	Robert Stewart	Burghfield SC	16	18	34
17	Gold	3683	Bluebird	Tom Ballantine	Dan Harris	Castle Cove SC	21	14	35
18	Gold	3747	Learner Driver	Clive Eplett	Megan Pascoe	Frensham Pond SC	13	23	36
19	Gold	3815	The Kraken	Mark Barwell	Louise Johnson	Lymington Town SC & Upper Thames SC	19	17	36
20	Silver	3801	Beltie	Sam Thompson	Leanne Thompson	RNSA	24	13	37
21	Platinum	3834	Grace	Thomas Stewart	Rob Allen	Waldringfield SC	15	22	37
22	Gold	3781	The Force Awakens	David Hall	Georgia Booth	Blackwater SC	23	16	39
23	Silver	3806	Blue Tit	Benjamin Jones	Helen Hilditch	Lymington Town SC	25	20	45
24	Gold	3805	Nermal	Ed Bradburn	Ollie Goodhead	South Staffs SC	22	25	47
25	Gold	3779	The Angels' Share	David Lee	Angela Bridges	Starcross YC	20	28	48
26	Gold	3787	Quicksilver	Chris Martin	Josh Oates	Bartley SC	27	24	51
27	Silver	3825	Tea Cup	Storm Nuttall	Sally Wakefield	West Hoe SC	26	27	53
28	Silver	3600	The Matrix	Mike Partridge	Claire Davis	Hayling Island SC	30	26	56
29	Silver	3816	Wild Horses	Phil Emery	Hilary Bradshaw	Whitstable YC	31	31	62
30	Silver	3767	One Love	Roman Archer	Ben Archer	Parkstone YC	28	35	63
31	Silver	3766	The Bear	Andrew Dalby	Elsa Dalby	Burghfield SC & Lee on Solent SC	29	34	63
32	Silver	3626	Business As Usual	Tim Male	Rebecca Male	Staunton Harold SC	35	30	65
33	Bronze	3813	Pacemaker	Steve Harling	Eleanor Thomas	Starcross YC	37	29	66
34	Silver	3488	Carrera	Ben Scroggie	Harry Scroggie	Parkstone YC	33	33	66
35	Bronze	3760	Moz's Tale	Jerry Ibberson	Liza Hunt	SCYC	32	36	68
36	Silver	3817	Aura	Geoff Kimber	Helen Kimber	Stone SC	38	32	70
37	Bronze	3594	Summit Fever	Robin Clifton‑Dey	Michael Clifton‑Dey	Weymouth SC	36	37	73
38	Silver	3830	Amuse‑Bouche	Tom Low	Ed Low	Parkstone YC	34	DNC [42]	76
39	Silver	3704	Factory Maid	Jemma Horwood	Nicola Scaddan	Tamesis SC	39	38	77
40	Bronze	3792	Seas The Day	Alistair McDonald	Steven McCann	Berwick SC & Yorkshire Dales SC	40 W	DNC [42]	82
41	Bronze	3707	Monkey Business	Stuart Jenkins	Peter Walker	Hampton SC & Upper Thames SC	DNS [42]	DNC [42]	84