Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week 2025 at Salcombe Yacht Club - Day 3
by Tim Fells 1 Jul 08:56 PDT
29 June - 4 July 2025
The third day dawned with light cloud and absolutely no wind in the harbour. As often happens at Salcombe, by the time the fleet started to launch a South-Westerly had started to establish itself and by the 10.30 start time there was 4-5 knots across the harbour.
Morning Race - Green v Blue, Course 1,3,1,3,2,3
With the last of the ebb holding the fleet back, it was an almost clean start with the good money going on a Portlemouth Beach start. Mike and Jane Calvert executed their start to perfection and were away up the beat with a comfortable lead. Giving chase were Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley together with the Alexes, Jackson and Warren.
On the first run, the leading group of six boats pulled away from the chasers, putting pressure on Mike and Jane who just kept ahead around Crossways. Dave Winder and Beka Jones continued to show great pace in their new boat to start to challenge the top three.
As the race progressed, the wind was switching Southerly giving some big port lifts and making the approach to Crossways challenging. This proved to be the deciding factor when on the final lap, Mike and Jane sat in a hole as the Alexes came up on pressure to take the lead around Crossways. On the final beat to the line, Mike and Jane again jumped into the lead but on the final approach to the line they fell out of pressure with the Alexes coming in above them to take their second bullet of the week by no more than a foot.
Mike and Jane came home a slightly disappointed second, adding to their great series and showing that their new boat really does have wheels. Chris and Sophie added third to their run of top three results ahead of Dave and Beka. James Goss and Chris White, who had never been far off the lead all race, came home fifth ahead of Jen and Chris Dodds who had flown up through the top ten.
Afternoon Race, Red v Black, Course 1,7,1,5
The breeze had increased to a healthy 10-14 knots for the afternoon race. Despite the outgoing ebb under them, the fleet started cleanly with Ed Bradburn and Jonny Coate getting a flier to cross the fleet. Notable for being buried at the start were event leaders Tom Gillard and Rachel Gray, race winners Christian Birrell and Sam Brearey and Olympic medalist Stu Bithell who took a full 15 seconds to clear the line.
The top of the beat was very shifty and those who managed to hook into the righty coming out of North Sands prospered. Tom Stewart and Rob Allen rounded first and headed for Mill Bay where unfortunately they and those following them fell into a hole. Those who gybed at Blackstone carried pressure over to the town side and down past the Ferry making a big jump on those persevering on the Portlemouth shore. Tim Saxton and Holly McArthur held a narrow lead from Christian and Sam along with Stu and Katherine Bithell who had made remarkable recoveries, as they headed off into The Bag.
By the return into the Harbour from Gerston, Christian and Sam had consolidated their lead from Ollie Meadowcroft and Pete Gray with Stu and Katherine battling for third with Will and Arthur Henderson. Tom and Rachel had made their expected recovery and climbed up to sixth.
On the run back down through the town, the leading three took the Portlemouth shore with Tom and Rachel making further gains on the town side. Off into The Bag with Christian and Sam still leading but upon their return Tom and Rachel had come through to win quite comfortably, a truly extraordinary performance having been down in the thirties on the first run. The history of Salcombe Merlin Week is dominated by Phil King who won 13 titles. On this performance it looks like Tom is the new Phil!
Christian and Sam followed home in second ahead of Stu and Katherine who are appearing for three days only. Ollie and Pete added a fourth to their impressive series ahead of Will and Arthur. Sixth place went to Matt and Hannah Greenfield who had sailed excellently all race.
Results after Day 3:
Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm | Crew | Club | Flight | Fleet | Hull Colour | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
1st | 3759 | Red Mistress | Thomas Gillard | Rachel Gray | Sheffield Viking Sailing Club | Black | Platinum | Red | | 1 | | 1 | | 1 | 3 |
2nd | 3803 | Black Swan | Chris Gould | Sophie Mackley | Shoreham Sailing Club | Green | Platinum | White | 2 | | | 2 | 3 | | 7 |
3rd | 3823 | Bonnie Blue | Alex Jackson | Alex Warren | Shoreham Sailing Club | Green | Platinum | Elf Blue | 1 | | | 7 | 1 | | 9 |
4th | 3829 | Back in Business | Mike Calvert | Jane Calvert | Axe Yacht Club | Blue | Platinum | Blue | | 3 | 4 | | 2 | | 9 |
5th | 3827 | The Last Jedi. (Potentially.) | David Winder | Beka Jones | Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club | Green | Gold | Grey/White | 3 | | | 3 | 4 | | 10 |
6th | 3788 | Bluey | Christian Birrell | Sam Brearey | Parkstone Yacht Club | Red | Platinum | Blue | 8 | | 1 | | | 2 | 11 |
7th | 3749 | Stanley | Ollie Meadowcroft | Pete Gray | Salcombe YC | Red | Platinum | White | 5 | | 2 | | | 4 | 11 |
8th | 3814 | Sonic | James Goss | Chris White | South Staffs SC | Blue | Platinum | Blue | | 4 | 9 | | 5 | | 18 |
9th | 3726 | Arwen | Will Henderson | Arthur Henderson | Salcombe YC | Red | Platinum | Blue/white | 7 | | 6 | | | 5 | 18 |
10th | 3751 | Narnia | Mary Henderson‑White | Robert Henderson White | Brightlingsea SC | Green | Gold | Blue | 6 | | | 5 | 7 | | 18 |
11th | 3777 | Mockingjay | George Yeoman | Mark Oakey | Itchenor SC | Black | Platinum | Grey | | 5 | | 10 | | 8 | 23 |
12th | 3727 | Fragile | Mark Stockbridge | James Gifford | Upper Thames Sailing Club | Blue | Gold | Grey/ White | | 6 | 10 | | 8 | | 24 |
13th | 3611 | The Phantom Menace | Jen Dodds | Chris Dodds | RYA | Green | Gold | Grey | 16 | | | 4 | 6 | | 26 |
14th | 3676 | Hot Totty | AntonyGifford | Jo Gifford | Royal Tay Yacht Club | Black | Platinum | Blue (white below waterline) | | 7 | | 6 | | 13 | 26 |
15th | 3714 | Kevin | Rob Henderson | Alice Markham | HISC | Red | Gold | Blue | 9 | | 11 | | | 10 | 30 |
16th | 3796 | Roberta | William Warren | Andy Price | Shoreham Sailing Club | Blue | Gold | Blue | | 14 | 8 | | 12 | | 34 |
17th | 3678 | Nora | Stephen Crook | Sally Townend | Hollingworth Lake SC | Green | Gold | Black/white | 12 | | | 15 | 9 | | 36 |
18th | 3666 | | John Meadowcroft | Rory Gifford | Salcombe YC | Blue | Platinum | Grey | | 2 | 21 | | 15 | | 38 |
19th | 3625 | Point Break | Andrew Harris | Sara Warren | Tamesis | Red | Silver | Blue | 4 | | 14 | | | 20 | 38 |
20th | 3764 | Fancy Liquor | Tim Fells | Frances Gifford | Salcombe YC | Blue | Platinum | Blue | | 16 | 12 | | 10 | | 38 |
21st | 3812 | Maumahara | Tom Stewart | Rob Allen | Salcombe YC | Black | Platinum | Black | | 10 | | 14 | | 15 | 39 |
22nd | 3724 | Sublime | Ed Bradburn | Jonny Coate | South Staffordshire SC | Black | Platinum | Grey | | 12 | | 13 | | 14 | 39 |
23rd | 3710 | Paradigm Shift | Jon Ibbotson | Robert Stewart | Burghfield Sailing Club | Black | Platinum | White | | 18 | | 11 | | 12 | 41 |
24th | 3687 | Mellow Yellow | Matt Greenfield | Hannah Greenfield | Chew Valley Lake Sailing Club | Red | Gold | Yellow | 17 | | 19 | | | 6 | 42 |
25th | 3746 | Point n squirt | James Wells | Anna Aylward | RYA | Blue | Platinum | White Grey | | 15 | 13 | | 14 | | 42 |
26th | 3700 | Dumb and Dumber | Robert Kennaugh | | Midland SC | Red | Gold | Blue | 15 | | 20 | | | 11 | 46 |
27th | 3364 | Shadowfax | Chris Haworth | Richard Ashton | Bristol Corinthian Yacht Club | Black | Silver | | | 13 | | 19 | | 16 | 48 |
28th | 3787 | Quicksilver | Chris Martin | John Tailby | Midland SC | Red | Platinum | Red | 14 | | 17 | | | 17 | 48 |
29th | 3691 | Quick Fix | Rebecca Videlo | Alex Pausey | Frensham Pond SC | Black | Bronze | | | 8 | | 17 | | 25 | 50 |
30th | 3768 | Hullabaloo | Graham Cook | Rob Cage | Thames Sailing Club | Black | | White | | 23 | | 12 | | 18 | 53 |
31st | 3716 | Carbon footprint | Steve Leney | Gill Leney | Blithfield SC | Blue | Gold | Yellow | | 11 | 24 | | 22 | | 57 |
32nd | 3807 | Baloo | Tim Saxton | Holly Macarthur | Itchenor SC | Red | Platinum | Blue | (DSQ) | | 3 | | DNC | 7 | 62 |
33rd | 3799 | Simply Scrumptious | Paul Rayson | Christian Hill | Salcombe Yacht Club | Green | Gold | Grey | 11 | | | 28 | 25 | | 64 |
34th | 3658 | Bernard | Matthew Shorrock | Ben Shorrock | Frensham Pond SC | Blue | Gold | White | | 9 | 5 | | (FWY) | DNC | 66 |
35th | 3692 | Nemo | Steve Conroy | Anna Rayson | Salcombe Yacht Club | Green | Silver | Turquoise | 10 | | | 23 | 33 | | 66 |
36th | 3772 | Combat Wombat | Stewart Mears | Ally Hall | Royal Corinthian YC | Red | Silver | Green | 18 | | 22 | | | 26 | 66 |
37th | 3745 | Outnumbered | Paul Dean | Catherine Dean | Broadwater SC | Green | Gold | Dark Grey | 20 | | | 26 | 20 | | 66 |
38th | 3622 | The Edge | Christian Hamilton | Mike Hamilton | Blackpool and Fleetwood YC | Black | Bronze | Green | | 24 | | 20 | | 22 | 66 |
39th | 3753 | Appetite for destruction | David Conlon | Sarah Conlon | Brightlingsea SC | Red | Gold | White | (BFD) | | 7 | | DNC | 9 | 68 |
40th | 3815 | The Kraken | Mark Barwell | Louise Johnson | Lymington Town SC | Green | Gold | Blue | 28 | | | 25 | 16 | | 69 |
41st | 3659 | Zeno | Julian Parry | George Bender | Hollingworth Lake Sailing Club | Red | Gold | Mint | 19 | | 23 | | | 27 | 69 |
42nd | 3755 | Tickled Pink | Jacintha Hamilton | James Taylor | Itchenor SC | Black | Silver | Grey | | 27 | | 22 | | 21 | 70 |
43rd | 3820 | Skadi | Caroline Gould | Livvy Bell | Shoreham Sailing Club | Green | Platinum | Grey white | (BFD) | | | 8 | 11 | DNC | 71 |
44th | 3657 | Revolution | Charles Tavner | Emma Tavner | Hayling Island SC | Blue | Silver | Blue | | 30 | 32 | | 13 | | 75 |
45th | 3756 | Robert | Tom Lonsdale | Emily Batterton | West Oxford | Green | Gold | | 27 | | | 31 | 18 | | 76 |
46th | 3760 | Moz's Tale | Jerry Ibberson | Justine Davenport | Abersoch SC | Blue | Bronze | White | | 17 | 30 | | 31 | | 78 |
47th | 3715 | Truly Scrumptious | Richard Cooke | Russell Hall | Fishers Green Sailing Club | Red | Silver | Black white | 23 | | 33 | | | 23 | 79 |
48th | 3780 | Time Machine | Sarah Richards | Feibusch | Lyminton Town SC | Green | Platinum | | 32 | | | 24 | 23 | | 79 |
49th | 3738 | Superfast Jellyfish | Simon Blake | Wilfie Blake | Royal Brighton Yacht Club | Black | Platinum | Black/white | | (DNF) | | 9 | DNC | 19 | 80 |
50th | 3627 | Snorter | Ali Wallace | Catriona Wallace | South Cerney Sailing Club | Red | Bronze | White | 13 | | 34 | | | 33 | 80 |
51st | 3825 | Teacup | Storm Nuttall | Nicola Bass | Salcombe Yacht Club | Blue | Silver | Grey | | 31 | 16 | | 35 | | 82 |
52nd | 3781 | The Force Awakens | Dave Hall | Emilie Hood | Blackwater SC | Blue | Platinum | Grey/White | | 29 | 26 | | 27 | | 82 |
53rd | 3671 | SnakeyB | Piers Lambert | Sophie Penwarden | Brightlingsea SC | Red | Silver | Black/purple | 29 | | 25 | | | 29 | 83 |
54th | 3682 | Loki | John Burn | Frankie Burn | Salcombe Yacht Club | Black | Silver | Black | | 28 | | 27 | | 28 | 83 |
55th | 3731 | Mayhem | Andy Jones | Maddie Jones | Burghfield SC | Blue | Silver | Grey | | (DNF) | 15 | | 17 | DNC | 84 |
56th | 3615 | Edgar | Stuart Bates | Lydia Bourne | Hollingworth Lake | Green | Silver | Green and White | 30 | | | 32 | 24 | | 86 |
57th | 3702 | Salmon en Croute | Duncan Salmon | Harriet Salmon | Salcombe YC | Green | Gold | Blue/pink | 37 | | | 21 | 30 | | 88 |
58th | 3769 | The Disciple | Graham Cranford Smith | Innes Armstron | Salcombe YC | Blue | Silver | Grey | | 19 | 18 | | (BFD) | DNC | 89 |
59th | 3672 | Bola Bola | BenClegg | Abi Clegg | Brightlingsea SC | Blue | Silver | White | | 35 | 28 | | 26 | | 89 |
60th | 3806 | Blue Tit | Ben Jones | Helen Hilditch | Salcombe Yacht Club | Green | Silver | Blue | | | | 18 | 21 | DNC | 91 |
61st | 3569 | Time Zulu | Ben Lulham | Samantha Lulham | Blakeney Sailing Club | Black | Silver | Purple | | 20 | | 30 | | 41 | 91 |
62nd | 3766 | The Bear | Andrew Dalby | Elsa Dalby | Burgbados Yott Club | Green | Silver | | 26 | | | 38 | 28 | | 92 |
63rd | 3677 | Indecision | Timothy Barr | Chris Martin | Tamesis | Green | Bronze | Red | 24 | | | 36 | 34 | | 94 |
64th | 3648 | Bang Tidy | Antonia Wright | Jamie Wright | Shoreham Sailing Club | Blue | Silver | Blue/white | | 26 | 31 | | 37 | | 94 |
65th | 3684 | Keyser Sore | Tom Low | Paul Nebel | Parkstone Yacht Club | Black | Silver | | | 33 | | 29 | | 32 | 94 |
66th | 3670 | Filthy Gorgeous | Mark McKeever | Alex Homer | Midland Sailing Club | Red | Silver | Black White | 21 | | 38 | | | 37 | 96 |
67th | 3652 | Time and Tide | John Bell | Suzie Bell | Hampton Sailing Club | Blue | Silver | Purple | | (BFD) | 27 | | 19 | DNC | 98 |
68th | 3725 | Island Girl | Andrew Squire | Laura Evans | Salcombe Yacht Club | Green | Silver | Blue | 36 | | | 33 | 29 | | 98 |
69th | 3683 | Bluebird | Maddy Anderson | Isobel Stewart | Salcombe Yacht Club | Black | Gold | Blue | | (BFD) | | 16 | DNC | 31 | 99 |
70th | 3748 | White Tiger | Nigel Brooke | Suzie Brooke | Lymington Town SC | Red | Silver | Grey | 34 | | 29 | | | 36 | 99 |
71st | 3705 | Two pints of lager | Geoff Wright | Jo Lord | Blithfield SC | Red | Silver | Blue | 31 | | 37 | | | 34 | 102 |
72nd | 3633 | Chill Out | Timothy Harms | Millie Little | Hampton Sailing Club | Red | Silver | Blue | 22 | | 41 | | | 40 | 103 |
73rd | 3790 | Pointer | Colin Brockbank | Richard Eastmond | Wembley Sailing Club | Black | Silver | Blue | | 22 | | (DNF) | DNC | 30 | 104 |
74th | 3826 | Dave | Stuart Bithell | Katherine Bithell | Parkstone Yacht Club | Black | Platinum | | | | | DNC | DNC | 3 | 107 |
75th | 3686 | If | Kevin Rose | Tim Williams | Upper Thames SC | Black | Bronze | Grey/white | | 25 | | 43 | | 39 | 107 |
76th | 3582 | NBTS | Ed Gibbons | Molly Embser‑Kay | Brightlingsea SC | Red | Silver | Blue | 25 | | 35 | | | 48 | 108 |
77th | 3539 | Gangsta Paradise | Dan Alsop | Ben Alsop | Lyme Regis Sailing Club | Black | Silver | Grey | | 34 | | 37 | | 38 | 109 |
78th | 3511 | Heaven Sent | Andrew Mills | Ellie Mills | Bronze | Green | Bronze | Red | 35 | | | 39 | 39 | | 113 |
79th | 3547 | Moondance Assasin | Peter Male | Tim Male | RYA | Black | Gold | Blue | | 36 | | 35 | | 43 | 114 |
80th | 3794 | Ichthys | Jukian Harms | Tony Wilcock | Midland SC | Red | Silver | Grey Orange | (BFD) | | 39 | | DNC | 24 | 115 |
81st | 3813 | Pacemaker | Steve Harling | Eleanor Thomas | Starcross YC | Black | Bronze | Turquoise | | 40 | | 40 | | 35 | 115 |
82nd | 3675 | White Sauce er er | Rob Hatley | Lucy Hatley | Tamesis SC | Green | Bronze | White | 39 | | | 41 | 36 | | 116 |
83rd | 3706 | Monkey Puzzle | Kevin Anderson | Sophie Anderson | Salcombe Yacht Club | Blue | Bronze | Grey | | 43 | 36 | | 38 | | 117 |
84th | 3647 | Liquid Dreams | Hywell Bowen‑Perkins | Lucy Penwarden | Salcombe Yacht Club | Blue | Silver | Blue | | 21 | 45 | | (RET) | DNC | 118 |
85th | 3773 | No. 34 | Alan Warren | Bill Carroll | 07979Shoreham Sailing Club | Green | Silver | White | (BFD) | | | 34 | 32 | DNC | 118 |
86th | 3463 | Smoke on the water | John Cowper | Hannah Hutchins | Hunts SC | Red | Bronze | Pink | 38 | | 42 | | | 44 | 124 |
87th | 3589 | FB Girl | John Hollands | Sarah Rolfe | Hampton Sailing Club | Blue | Bronze | | | 39 | 46 | | 40 | | 125 |
88th | 3333 | Precious | John Adams | Ross Warwich‑Haller | Tamesis Club | Blue | Bronze | White | | 38 | 47 | | 41 | | 126 |
89th | 3697 | Too Dark and Stormy | Richard Page | Emily Hoar | Hampton SC | Blue | Bronze | Purple | | 42 | 43 | | 42 | | 127 |
90th | 3704 | Factory Maid | Gemma Horwood | Ben Hughes | Wembley Sailing Club | Red | Silver | Grey White | 33 | | 44 | | | DNF | 129 |
91st | 3693 | Slippery when Wet | Jon Buckley | Jonathan Carr | Starcross YC | Black | Bronze | Black | | 37 | | 47 | | 47 | 131 |
92nd | 3479 | Ragtime | John McCormick | Richard Hoyland | Stoke Gabriel Boating Association | Red | Bronze | Blue | 40 | | 48 | | | 45 | 133 |
93rd | 3483 | Cloud 9 | David Prickett | Bernard Prickett | RYA | Black | Bronze | Blue/White | | 41 | | 42 | | DNC | 135 |
94th | 3599 | Harry | Nigel Cooper | Lucy Cooper | Salcombe YC | Black | Bronze | Red | | 44 | | 45 | | 46 | 135 |
95th | 3776 | Messy Monty | Neal Lillywhite | Freya Lillywhite | Salcombe Yacht Club | Blue | Platinum | White | | 32 | (DNF) | | FWY | DNC | 136 |
96th | 3654 | Tales of Acapulco | Geoffrey Cox | John Coyte | SYC | Black | Bronze | | | | | 46 | DNC | 42 | 140 |
97th | 3621 | Raunchy | Tristram Squire | Peter Slack | Salcombe Yacht Club | Green | Bronze | Blue | | | | 44 | 45 | DNC | 141 |
98th | 3800 | Brambles | Richard Bramley | Tony Cheal | Shoreham Sailing Club | Green | Bronze | Blue | (BFD) | | | 48 | 43 | DNC | 143 |
99th | 3707 | Monkey Business | Stuart Jenkins | Nicola Scaddon | Hampton SC | Red | Bronze | Pale blue | | | 40 | | DNC | DNF | 144 |
100th | 3586 | Shadowplay | Kieron Mason | Belinda Mason | Blithfield SC | Blue | Bronze | Dark Grey | | (DNF) | | DNC | 44 | DNC | 148 |
101st | 3368 | Debutante | Ian Laing | Andrew Hunt | Hollingworth Lake SC | Red | Bronze | Red/white | (BFD) | | (DNF) | DNC | DNC | DNC | 156 |
101st | 3660 | Dejelibeybe | Peter Sullivan | | | Green | Bronze | | | | | BFD | DNC | DNC | 156 |

