Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series - Pascoes take out the Oxford Blue
by Andy Rice 18 Feb 22:33 AEDT
14 February 2026
Ben and Sam Pascoe won the eighth and final event of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series last weekend, sailing their 2000 dinghy to victory in the Oxford Blue. Crewed by his father Sam (overall winner of the Series in his Musto Skiff two years ago) at 10 years old Ben Pascoe becomes the youngest winner of an event in the Series, as well as finishing runner-up in the overall standings behind this year's winners, Tom Gillard and Rach Gray in their Merlin Rocket.
There were 66 entries representing 34 classes, ranging from Toppers, Challengers, sportsboats and full-on foilers.
It was patchy weather for the Oxford Blue, with lots of wind holes across Farmoor Reservoir. It was good to see the Oxford Sailing Club Race team efficiently deliver three races before the wind fully shut down.
The lighter conditions favoured the slower boats which were able to perform closer to their Great Lakes handicap numbers. In the first race, Joe Jones and Charlie Howard from the host club sailed their RS200 to victory ahead of the Pascoes' 2000, with the National 12 of Kevin Iles and Iolanthe Creasy in third.
In the next race, Grant Blake and Andrew Jarvis, also from Oxford SC, took their K6 keelboat to victory with Jones and Howard second and Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley's Merlin Rocket in third place.
The Pascoes took the win in the third and final race, doing just enough to beat Jones and Howard's RS200 on tiebreak and take the overall victory. Iles and Creasy finished third overall behind the RS200, while last year's Oxford Blue winning Snipe, sailed by Matthew Wolstenholme and Eiichi Higuchi, took fourth overall ahead of Tim Platt's Zenith in fifth.
A good number of the leading contenders in the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series overall rankings and Magic Marine extracted rankings were competing in the final event, with many of the final positions only decided at the very end of the Series. Top ILCA 7 sailor from Spain, Michael Ten Bokum, was over visiting family in the UK and borrowed a boat to take part in the Series which he'd heard a lot about, even from overseas.
The prize-giving for the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series takes place soon after doors open this Saturday at the RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show in Farnborough.
Top Speeds (measured by SailRacer GPS trackers)
Sustained Top speeds, all in Race 1:
George BARKER (K6) 5.35 kts
Kevin ILES (N12) 4.38 kts
Benjamin PASCOE (2000) 4.66 kts
Top speeds, adjusted to handicap:
Michael Trueman (Streaker)
Jasper Barnham (GP14)
Benjamin Pascoe (2000)
Ben Pascoe, along with Tom Gillard and Rach Gray, is also one of the YJA Sailor of the Year nominees.
Results from Oxford Blue are below, and the Overall Results from the Series are also available.
Navigators and General Coaching debrief
Resident coach of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, Simon Horsfield, has been providing tips and advice throughout the eight events of the season. Supported by new sponsor, insurance company Navigators & General, Simon is a three-time winner of the series and well qualified to help sailors of all levels.
On Wednesday 18 Feb at 8.30pm, Navigators & General Coach, Simon Horsfield, will be looking back at some of the key learning points from the Oxford Blue, highlighting the moments that made the difference on the water.
Join the video call: meet.google.com/ejh-gbiq-xee
Past Winners of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series
2025/26 Tom Gillard & Rachael Gray (Merlin Rocket)
2024/25 Tom Gillard & Rachael Gray (Scorpion)
2023/24 Sam Pascoe (Musto Skiff)
2022/23 Peter Gray & Geoff Edwards (Osprey)
2021/22 Roger Gilbert & Ben McGrane (505)
2020/21 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge/ Natalie Johnson (2000)
2019/20 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge (2000)
2018/19 Simon Horsfield & Katie Burridge (2000)
2017/18 Alistair Goodwin (Laser)
2016/17 Matt Mee & Emma Norris (RS200)
2015/16 Ian Dobson & Andy Tunnicliffe (GP14)
2014/15 Nick Craig & various crews (Merlin Rocket)
2013/14 Michael Sims (Solo)
2012/13 Tom Gillard & Simon Potts (Fireball)
2011/12 Peter Gray & Rachael Rhodes (Scorpion)
2010/11 Andy Peake (Musto Skiff)
2009/10 Olly Turner & Richard Whitworth (Merlin Rocket)
The Events
The following events were in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2025/26:
- Fernhurst Books Draycote Dash, Draycote Water Sailing Club - 22 & 23 November 2025
- Sailing Chandlery Datchet Flyer, Datchet Water Sailing Club - 6 & 7 December 2025
- Robline UK Polar Chase, Chase Sailing Club - 13 December 2025
- Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club - 27 December 2025
- GJW Direct Bloody Mary, Queen Mary Sailing Club - 10 January 2026
- John Merricks Tiger Trophy, Rutland Sailing Club - 31 January 2026 & 1 February 2026
- Grafham Grand Prix, Grafham Water Sailing Club - 8 February 2026 (rescheduled from original date)
- Oxford Blue, Oxford Sailing Club - 14 February 2026
- Prizegiving at RYA Dinghy & Watersports Show, Farnborough - 21 February 2026
You can find out more about the Series at www.SailJuiceSeries.com
Oxford Blue Results:
| Pos | Class | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Club | R1 | R2 | R3 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | 2000 | 2190 | Benjamin PASCOE | Sam PASCOE | Castle cove | 2 | ‑4 | 1 | 3 |
| 2nd | RS200 | 994 | Joe JONES | Charlie HOWARD | Oxford SC | 1 | 2 | ‑4.5 | 3 |
| 3rd | National 12 | 3527 | Kevin ILES | Iolanthe CREASY | West Oxfordshire SC | 3 | ‑8 | 4.5 | 7.5 |
| 4th | Snipe | 28541 | Matthew WOLSTENHOLME | Eiichi HIGUCHI | Bough Beech SC | ‑26 | 6.5 | 2 | 8.5 |
| 5th | Zenith | 124 | Tim PLATT | | Datchet / Broadwater | 7 | ‑12 | 3 | 10 |
| 6th | K6 | 198 | Grant BLAKE | Andrew JARVIS | Oxford Sailing Club | ‑53 | 1 | 12 | 13 |
| 7th | Merlin Rocket | 3756 | Chris GOULD | Sophie MACKLEY | Shoreham | ‑19 | 3 | 11 | 14 |
| 8th | ILCA 7 / Laser | 213646 | Gareth GREENFIELD | | Oxford SC | 5 | 10 | ‑15 | 15 |
| 9th | GP14 | 14125 | Jasper BARNHAM | Graham Sexton | Snettisham Beach | 6 | 9 | ‑17 | 15 |
| 10th | RS200 | 1452 | Alistair HODGSON | Ella SPAIN | Draycote Water SC | 11 | 6.5 | ‑33 | 17.5 |
| 11th | Streaker | 1667 | Michael TRUEMAN | | Oxford SC | 4 | ‑28 | 14 | 18 |
| 12th | Merlin Rocket | 3724 | Arran HOLMAN | Tom PYGALL | Hollowell sailing club | 12 | ‑22 | 9 | 21 |
| 13th | Merlin Rocket | 3764 | Thomas LONSDALE | Emily BATTERTON | Oxford SC | 17 | 5 | ‑19 | 22 |
| 14th | K6 | 209 | George BARKER | Bertie BARKER | Oxford Sailing Club | 10 | 15 | ‑22 | 25 |
| 15th | Hadron H2 | 135 | Gavin FLEMING | | Hunts SC / GWSC | 9 | 18 | ‑42 | 27 |
| 16th | Blaze | 862 | Richard BOTTING | | Draycote Water SC | 22 | ‑29 | 6 | 28 |
| 17th | Scorpion | 2001 | Malcolm JAMES | William HANCOCK | South Cerney SC | ‑29 | 21 | 8 | 29 |
| 18th | Zenith | 101 | Paddy LEWIS | | Datchet Water SC | 18 | 11 | ‑44 | 29 |
| 19th | Enterprise | 22901 | Paul Young | Khiaan | | ‑23.5 | 16.5 | 13 | 29.5 |
| 20th | Solo | 5693 | Fraser HAYDEN | | Papercourt SC | 8 | 23 | (DNC) | 31 |
| 21st | Merlin Rocket | 3820 | Caroline GOULD | Matt SHORROCK | Shoreham | 13 | 19 | (DNC) | 32 |
| 22nd | Scorpion | 1984 | Steven MCCARTHY | Delyth HOPKINS | The Chase Sailing Club | ‑28 | 24 | 10 | 34 |
| 23rd | ILCA 7 / Laser | 208839 | Paul ROBINSON | | Datchet Water SC | 15 | ‑34 | 21 | 36 |
| 24th | RS Aero 7 | 1222 | Clive JACKSON | | Dorchester on Thames | 16 | 20 | ‑23 | 36 |
| 25th | Merlin Rocket | 3727 | Mark STOCKBRIDGE | Charlie COTTER | Upper Thames SC | ‑43 | 26 | 18 | 44 |
| 26th | Osprey | 1234 | Terry CURTIS | Peter GREIG | Castle Cove | 20 | ‑27 | 24 | 44 |
| 27th | RS Vareo | 621 | Luke FISHER | | Emberton Park | 30 | 16.5 | ‑35.5 | 46.5 |
| 28th | Scorpion | 2017 | Lawrence CREASER | Ellie DEVEREUX | Draycote SC | ‑41 | 40 | 7 | 47 |
| 29th | Merlin Rocket | 3752 | Samuel BAILEY | Rebecca VIDELO | South Staffordshire SC | ‑34 | 31 | 16 | 47 |
| 30th | Osprey | 1382 | Roger BLAKE | James BLAKE | Great Moor SC | 21 | ‑32.5 | 26 | 47 |
| 31st | ISO | 1192 | John BANBROOK | Andy SHARP | Bowmoor | 37 | 14 | ‑40 | 51 |
| 32nd | K6 | 159 | Dan ROBINS | Martin GIBSON | Oxford Sailing Club | ‑42 | 13 | 41 | 54 |
| 33rd | Streaker | 1774 | James HOBSON | | Warsash | 27 | ‑30 | 27 | 54 |
| 34th | ILCA 7 / Laser | 222771 | Richard LYMPOSS | | Bowmoor | 25 | ‑37 | 31 | 56 |
| 35th | ILCA 7 / Laser | 0 | Michael TEN BOKUM | | Benicasim | 23.5 | 36 | (OCS) | 59.5 |
| 36th | Topper | 47833 | Jacki LESLIE | | Ppapercourt SC | 14 | 47 | (DNC) | 61 |
| 37th | Challenger | 272 | Bex FOULSHAM | | Oxford Sailability | 44 | ‑52 | 20 | 64 |
| 38th | RS Aero 5 | 1685 | Lucy GREENWOOD | | Oxford Sailing Club | 39 | ‑44.5 | 25 | 64 |
| 39th | RS Aero 5 | 2074 | Matt HARTLEY | | Halifax Sailing Club | 36 | ‑48 | 30 | 66 |
| 40th | RS 400 | 1152 | Jacob Lutten | Alfie Fisher | | 35 | ‑50 | 32 | 67 |
| 41st | ISO | 2500 | Bob LADELL | Michelle CADEI | King George SC | 33 | ‑46 | 35.5 | 68.5 |
| 42nd | ISO | 2501 | Rob HOWLETT | Henry COLLINGS | Poole YC | ‑49 | 41 | 28 | 69 |
| 43rd | RS Vareo | 568 | Michelle COLLIER‑BROOKS | | Oxford | ‑45 | 32.5 | 37 | 69.5 |
| 44th | ILCA 6 / Laser Radial | 190843 | Hugh LEACH | | Reading Sailing Club | 32 | 38 | (DNC) | 70 |
| 45th | Musto Skiff | 637 | Eddie BRIDLE | | Brightlingsea SC | ‑57 | 25 | 47 | 72 |
| 46th | ILCA 6 / Laser Radial | 151347 | Howie FINN | | Great Moor SC | 38 | ‑53 | 34 | 72 |
| 47th | RS500 | 1750 | Nigel DAVIS | Aaron DAVIS | Draycote Water SC | 48 | ‑51 | 29 | 77 |
| 48th | 2000 | 22667 | Jack BARRETT | Kieran LEWIS | RNSA | 40 | ‑42 | 38 | 78 |
| 49th | Vortex | 2018 | Jonathan CARTER | | rickmansworth SC | ‑58 | 39 | 39 | 78 |
| 50th | RS Feva XL | 1 | | Ted LAKE | OSC | 31 | ‑55 | 50 | 81 |
| 51st | Musto Skiff | 614 | Ben Clegg | | | ‑50 | 35 | 48 | 83 |
| 52nd | Albacore | 8251 | Alex CULL | Isabela CULL | Oxford Sailing Club | ‑46 | 44.5 | 45 | 89.5 |
| 53rd | Merlin Rocket | 3698 | Jamie FREEMAN | Rebecca BINES | Brightlingsea SC | 47 | 43 | (DNC) | 90 |
| 54th | K6 | 154 | Joe GOYDER | Steve CLAYTON | Oxford | ‑56 | 49 | 43 | 92 |
| 55th | 2000 | 21828 | Paul NORTH | Serena STEWARDSON | Milton Keynes SC | 51 | ‑58 | 46 | 97 |
| 56th | Melges 15 | 1027 | Cath HOUGH | Mark SWALLOW | Selden | 54 | ‑56 | 49 | 103 |
| 57th | RS Vareo | 436 | Russell HOWARTH | | Oxford Sailing Club | 52 | 54 | (DNC) | 106 |
| 58th | 29er | 1196 | Andrew HOMEWOOD | Jack TURNER | OSC | ‑59 | 59 | 51 | 110 |
| 59th | RS Vareo | 374 | Terry BROOKS | | Oxford sc | 55 | 57 | (DNC) | 112 |
| 60th | Topper | 49371 | Esme HEMINGWAY | | Oxford SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 134 |
| 60th | Merlin Rocket | 3759 | Thomas GILLARD | Rach GRAY | Sheffield Vikings SC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 134 |
| 60th | Kestrel | 1650 | Richard LE MARE | Richard LE MARE | Portchester | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 134 |
| 60th | International Moth | 5011 | Joe ADAMS | | Oxford | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 134 |
| 60th | Switch | 1080 | Simon HISCOCKS | | HISC | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 134 |
| 60th | Musto Skiff | 113 | Jake WINTER | | Oxford Sailing Club | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 134 |
| 60th | Weta SH | 1324 | Steven HARVEY | | Oxford | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | 134 |
