IOM World Championship 2026 at Datchet Water Sailing Club

IOM World Championship 2026 at Datchet Water Sailing Club - Day 4

by Mark Jardine 22 May 07:24 AEST 15-22 May 2026

Even on a tricky day, the best sailors and those in form have a habit of finding their way to the top of the fleet. Boat speed helps, but the psychological edge that is gained through a winning run helps fuel further wins and top results.

Thursday saw the building high pressure system, which is going to give the UK a balmy weekend, start to take hold. The rain stopped, the temperatures rose, and the wind dropped, making for a patchy race course with big holes and huge shifts in direction.

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 4 - The fleet in light winds upwind - photo © Mark Jardine

2011 World Champion Peter Stollery (GBR 39) has had an up and down event so far, but thrived in today's light winds, recording a sixth and a second in today's two races in Heat A.

"Yep, I'm very pleased with that.", said Peter. "I've had trouble picking the shifts, and I think because the shifts have been quite big, you kind of chase them and end up on the wrong side of the course, and it becomes more frustrating. It's like an ever decreasing circle when you start doing that. But with the wind a bit lighter, less choppy, the shifts are a little bit more, and you can react to the shifts a bit better."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 3 - GBR 39 - photo © Mark Jardine

In the light conditions keeping up momentum, keeping the flow in the sails, and linking the patches of wind was critical. A tack at the wrong time can be disastrous, but the temptation to immediately tack when see a big shift can be irresistable, so I asked Peter how he struck a balance:

"It is really difficult keeping the pace up. Every time the wind drops light, you have to sheet out a bit, watch the tell tales on the jib all the time, and try to keep that speed, and then you just watch around you. We've got a big wind sock out there, which is very useful some of the time - some of the time it tells you lies, but most of the time that's useful - but also just keep looking around. So, in that race, I was able to just keep an eye on what Zvonko (Jelacic) was doing ahead of me, just to see if he was going to get knocked. If he gets a significant knock, then you know it's a real shift, and you can go with that. So, it's really just about keeping your eyes out all the time, and have trusts in the boat to sail on its own for a bit, and just look around, see what else is happening."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 4 - Race 13 Heat A leeward gate 1 - photo © Mark Jardine

The final leeward gate in Race 13 Heat A saw Zvonko and Peter round ahead of a huge pack who arrived at the gate at the same time, leading to a fair bit of commotion, but allowing Zvonko (CRO 35) and Peter to get away to finish in first and second respectively:

"It was very satisfying that we just sort of plodded into enough of a lead that we didn't have to worry about it, although because the wind had shifted right going around the mark, we knew we would be tacking quite early, and had to go back through the rest of the fleet going downwind, which is always a bit risky. You can quickly undo your race if you end up going through the fleet with everybody coming the other way, but yes, I was pleased not to be in that melee."

On his performance in the lighter winds Peter added:

"It's kind of bittersweet in a way, because I do perform a little bit better in light airs, but the light winds mean that you get a bit less racing in, so it limits your chances to close the gap at the top."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 1 - USA 44 and FRA 73 battle it out with Windsor Castle in the background - photo © Mark Jardine

Like everybody, Peter has been in awe of Alexis Carre's performance so far, and today he knocked in a first and a third, extending his lead to 35 points:

"It's absolutely exceptional. To put that level of results together in the conditions that we've had has been phenomenal. He's actually sailed very straightforwardly and I don't think he's overthought it. He's got good boat speeds, especially in those windier conditions we've had earlier in the week, and he's just sailed very cleanly out of everybody else's way, not being tempted to tack on too many shifts.

"He's just putting himself in a good position all the time, always in the first half dozen round the windward mark. Once you've done that, then you can think about the rest of the race and either attack or defend, and most of the time he's attacking and getting a few more places. It's absolutely phenomenal and really, really good to see. He's a lovely guy to sail against as well. He's very quiet, doesn't say a great deal, but you know exactly what he's going to do. I've sailed against him for a very long time, and it's great to see him doing really well."

International Cooperation after an Australian Slip

A damp slipway on Tuesday morning resulted in a couple of bruises for Alex Scapens (AUS 106), but for him the worry was the damage to his his V12 IOM, but thankfully there was a composite expert who quickly offered a hand.

"I was just going out for a practice sail, and then found my feet in the air, and then before I knew it, I had this great crack on the hull of my boat, which wasn't good. Not a good way to start Tuesday morning.", said Alex. "Thankfully someone in the field was happy enough to help with the repair, and here we are, back on the water."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 4 - Alex Scapens and his repaired IOM AUS 106 - photo © Mark Jardine

The damage was significant with the deck separating from the hull on the port side, the leading edge of the fin was damaged, and a chunk was taken off the bulb.

"I just slightly sanded off the paint - that's all I could really do - but I didn't want to touch it too much, so I had to make do with what I had, but it still floated, so that's the main thing."

Thankfully Dutch sailor and composites expert Remco Sol stepped up after hearing the story during the Tuesday evening barbeque and offered to do the repair.

"We cleaned out the crack between the hull and deck and sanded it, and then we applied epoxy to it because the deck came loose from the hull flange, so we glued it back on, and I repaired a few dents in the bulb and in the fin, and polished it up for him again to make it shiny and good looking, and gave him some tape to run over the crack, so that you don't see it that much, and hopefully let him get his mind back on the sailing."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 4 - Remco Sol points out the repaired area on IOM AUS 106 - photo © Mark Jardine

Alex added, "It's in good shape now. It doesn't look pretty, but it's fixed, so that's the main thing,"

In at the deep end

First-time IOM Worlds competitor Sam Davidson (JPN 175) from Japan has one of only two wooden boats in the fleet, and is learning fast in the high-quality fleet.

"It's pretty tough, but it's a lot of fun. I'm learning a lot, but making a lot of mistakes, I'm doing some good things, and some pretty costly things as well.", said Sam.

Sam made his own yacht over nine months on his kitchen table in Tokyo.

"I have a patient wife. Every time I pulled the boat out, no one could eat!"

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 4 - JPN 175 - photo © Mark Jardine

Sam's made a couple of modifications since building the yacht, with microbubbles filler on the stern and bow changing the shape with a bit more buoyancy in places.

"I couldn't be too precious about it, it's a beautiful woody but it has to be functional. I needed to sort out some things, such as the stern, so it's got a bit more volume there, just for conditions like Tuesday - the hard running stuff - and likewise the bow. It had quite a narrow bow initially, which was really nice in light air, but it needed more volume."

Unlike Soren Andresen who I spoke to earlier in the week and had the frames laser cut, Sam designed the boat himself and made his own frames:

"I looked at a few different things for inspiration. Some of it comes from an old Marblehead design from the 50s that was quite a nice boat. I had a look at the alternatives to see how they all differ, drew it up in Excel, and I handmade all the bulkheads, so I did it the hard way."

With it being Sam's first IOM World Championship, I asked what his biggest takeaway was, racing in a fleet like this:

"Keep it clean. Whenever I haven't it's been a really costly mistake, at a mark or with another boat. It's pretty simple really, but it's not so easy to execute, right? I've learned that lesson over and over.

"It's so fast-paced as well. Keeping your head out of the boat obviously helps a lot, but to be able to do that, you've got to be able to leave your boat, and you can't take your eye off it for too long. It's tough!"

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 3 - USA 54, JPN 175, BRA 66, MAS 34 downwind with Windsor Castle in the background - photo © Mark Jardine

So Sam's thoughts don't differ from how Alexis is sailing at the top. Keeping it clean and sailing his own race. The trick is executing the plan, which comes with experience. Going into the last two days he has a huge lead, but it's defending champion Zvonko Jelacic who has moved up to second, so he can't be complacent, but the calm and methodical way he's sailing doesn't suggest he will.

Jelacic may well choose to defend second rather than attack, as Rob Walsh (GBR 25) is just 3 points behind him with fellow Croat Robert Matulja (CRO 33), American Peter Feldman (USA 44) and French sailor Romain Dubreuil (FRA 77) also snapping at his heels. The title may be on the cusp of being decided, but the battle for the podium will be intense.

More information on the event website, www.iomworlds2026.com with provisional results, updates throughout the day on the event's Facebook page, and videos being uploaded to YouTube.

Results after Day 4: (13 races, 2 discards)

Pos	Skipper	Sail No	Club/City	Hull	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	Pts
1	Alexis Carre	73	FRA	V12	2	4	2	10	1	3	4	1	1	5	1	1	3	23
2	Zvonko Jelacic	35	CRO	VISS	4	37	5	1	3	6	3	18	23	6	3	8	1	58
3	Rob Walsh	25	GBR	Venti	6	10	12	7	6	2	2	9	6	1	2	10	12	61
4	Robert Matulja	33	CRO	K2R	2	7	10	2	4	4	8	5	5	15	5	19	85	67
5	Peter Feldman	44	USA	VISS	3	5	4	6	16	5	6	13	2	13	9	7	8	68
6	Romain Dubreuil	77	FRA	Venti	3	6	8	4	2	7	13	8	3	4	12	12	13	69
7	Peter Stollery	39	GBR	BritPOP!	1	11	85	11	7	15	7	10	10	7	20	6	2	87
8	Craig Richards	2	GBR	Proteus	3	1	15	13	9	14	5	2	17	30	24	26	7	110
9	Olivier Cohen	100	FRA	GC24	8	14	14	9	12	12	14	7	4	17	27	9	21	120
10	Brian Shores	117	USA	Venti	5	29	20	15	10	9	15	12	12	18	4	5	18	123
11	Ante Kovacevic	30	CRO	VISS	11	24	32	21	17	18	25	3	11	14	11	4	4	138
12	Mark Golison	55	USA	Venti	2	3	18	29	19	19	26	6	15	2	16	21	36	147
13	Jan Springer	10	POL	Venti	1	8	23	17	29	13	12	17	20	23	30	13	9	156
14	Guillermo Beltri	47	ESP	GC24	12	49	30	24	21	30	20	14	9	19	14	2	6	171
15	Graham Elliott	9	GBR	BritPOP!	2	13	1	8	5	10	21	33	25	23	85	51	40	181
16	Barr Batzer	64	USA	V12	4	26	26	36	22	33	28	23	13	3	19	3	15	182
17	Aaron Farrar	37	AUS	V12	2	2	3	14	14	20	29	27	26	27	25	25	25	183
18	Soren Andresen	93	DEN	Nexus	3	20	23	37	36	48	24	31	7	10	6	11	14	185
19	Steve Landeau	17	USA	Venti	6	31	13	3	11	11	17	25	24	31	23	32	24	188
20	Matteo Longhi	11	SUI	V11	9	40	41	48	23	1	10	11	22	11	18	18	27	190
21	Paul Jones	48	AUS	Venti	10	12	6	12	8	23	1	21	29	34	45	39	44	195
22	Josh King	126	GBR	POP!	1	15	11	18	37	23	9	4	14	20	85	43	49	195
23	Sean Bradley	46	USA	Venti	6	27	29	19	30	31	16	16	18	28	7	20	17	203
24	Luningning Chen	12	CHN	VISS	1	21	16	22	13	8	19	26	28	24	35	27	31	205
25	Darin Ballington	98	GBR	BritPOP!	7	44	24	27	34	46	30	24	16	8	10	14	22	216
26	Glenn Dawson	76	AUS	V12	4	17	38	46	28	24	22	20	36	9	8	17	33	218
27	Alex Scapens	106	AUS	V12	9	18	7	20	39	26	11	19	37	47	41	29	19	234
28	Tonko Puljiz	40	CRO	VISS	11	54	55	50	55	39	23	15	8	12	15	15	10	252
29	Carlos Beltri	121	ESP	Venti	1	9	19	26	25	85	37	47	21	37	46	16	20	257
30	Pablo Walper	13	CHI	Venti	8	38	28	23	15	16	18	34	39	51	43	41	5	265
31	Pierre‑Yves Mechin	67	FRA	V12	5	37	9	5	18	36	47	43	38	44	26	38	29	284
32	Yann Masse	8	FRA	VISS	5	28	31	32	31	27	31	37	41	39	23	31	30	306
33	David Lindsay	23	NZL	V12	14	53	67	28	35	29	36	39	45	32	13	22	28	321
34	Tony Edwards	75	GBR	R2V2	3	19	25	30	32	25	33	45	43	46	39	35	39	323
35	Remco Sol	193	NED	Shuffle cl	4	16	17	34	44	44	27	30	34	52	50	56	26	326
36	Francisco Martinez Berzagay	116	ESP	V12	16	71	85	56	27	28	32	22	32	25	29	33	32	332
37	Odd Ornulf Stray	90	NOR	VISS	11	56	42	44	41	43	43	29	33	26	17	37	16	338
38	Tim Hand	134	GBR	BritPOP!	7	30	27	16	20	34	52	60	44	42	34	34	53	340
39	Elio Cavallo	113	ITA	GC24	10	46	46	45	46	37	45	28	27	23	28	23	37	349
40	Martin Roberts	22	GBR	BritPOP!	7	37	44	53	65	55	46	46	31	29	31	28	11	363
41	Paolo Cappa	130	ITA	Venti	13	59	40	25	33	17	34	38	50	56	51	40	35	376
42	Sven Forense	142	CRO	VISS	13	68	85	55	58	67	44	41	19	16	21	30	23	387
43	Paulo Maio Gomes	156	POR	BritPOP!	8	22	36	31	26	35	42	40	49	58	59	62	64	406
44	Adam Barboza	21	BER	K2	9	50	56	61	51	38	35	36	30	35	39	44	52	419
45	Patricio Montero	38	FRA	V11	5	33	39	42	49	63	57	42	47	36	48	42	43	426
46	David Ramos	105	USA	BritPOP!	6	37	49	39	45	39	51	66	42	41	47	45	41	431
47	Kurt Camilleri Burlo	3	MLT	K2	6	23	37	41	47	52	60	52	40	40	49	58	57	444
48	Gary McCarthy	181	AUS	GC24	11	43	43	40	40	42	39	35	55	55	57	55	56	458
49	Diego Sebastian Louyer	26	ARG	Solaris	18	52	63	63	42	55	56	44	52	38	40	36	48	481
50	Rogivue Gerald	49	SUI	K2	14	55	60	70	73	45	55	49	63	55	32	24	34	486
51	Colin Cashmore	45	NZL	V12	8	48	52	57	60	40	41	50	57	48	42	52	51	489
52	Hrvoje Duvancic	171	CRO	K2	14	58	33	47	24	32	38	53	60	64	75	73	74	496
53	Ricardo Gonzalo Pollono	63	ARG	Venti	4	32	35	33	52	58	68	61	51	65	52	59	60	497
54	Thomas Enwall	50	SWE	V12	10	62	45	35	43	47	49	56	61	62	61	49	55	511
55	Vedran Vesanovic	144	CRO	K2	13	85	61	64	63	41	50	68	46	49	33	46	46	512
56	Gary Boell	71	USA	BritPOP!	14	85	51	43	39	51	64	85	48	45	53	57	59	524
57	Ulf Lindberg	112	SWE	Proteus	7	45	48	39	41	49	63	59	67	72	58	55	62	526
58	Paolo Patrini	14	ITA	K2	8	41	47	52	56	57	67	70	58	59	56	48	50	532
59	Stan Wallace	69	BAH	BritPOP!	7	52	59	70	67	65	70	73	59	33	44	47	54	557
60	Feliciano Ballestin	97	ESP	GC24	9	47	50	62	64	60	55	51	55	66	55	60	68	568
61	Marin Bizjak	5	CRO	K2	10	63	69	65	75	77	40	32	35	50	65	80	66	570
62	Claes Nordin	99	SWE	ProteusEVO	13	76	66	58	48	50	62	55	62	60	62	50	65	585
63	Lionel Marsaly	31	FRA	Venti	16	42	54	51	55	61	48	54	65	81	78	85	76	600
64	Jean‑Pascal Morel	24	FRA	V12	5	25	34	55	70	59	69	79	85	85	66	72	67	601
65	Peter Tans	149	NED	K2	15	67	85	49	59	70	43	70	75	57	85	64	45	614
66	Baron Bremer	81	USA	Polaris	12	61	62	66	62	55	59	63	64	63	60	67	73	627
67	Bengt Oldsberg	159	SWE	K2	12	60	58	60	50	66	73	78	76	70	63	66	79	654
68	Roberto Lindstaedt	20	BRA	V12	15	85	65	85	70	79	61	62	68	61	70	61	47	659
69	Norbert Heinz	19	GER	Slice	10	65	57	67	71	73	71	64	74	71	70	77	42	661
70	Claudio Vaz	66	BRA	Polaris	18	75	73	72	66	76	78	65	56	53	70	65	63	676
71	Jimmy Teo	34	MAS	VISS	9	39	53	59	68	72	80	72	80	76	73	81	85	681
72	Torsten Fildebrandt	87	GER	Venti	15	79	85	85	74	71	58	67	71	43	85	63	58	684
73	Gary Winton	54	USA	V12	11	64	72	70	76	62	66	57	66	78	71	78	69	684
74	Richard Smith	166	AUS	ProteusEVO	13	77	74	78	79	74	72	48	55	68	64	75	72	692
75	Rohner Ernst	120	SUI	Parabellum	12	57	68	76	78	70	76	76	73	73	80	55	61	697
76	Pablo Alvarez	74	CHI	GC24	16	70	70	71	57	56	65	77	72	75	76	85	71	699
77	Chuck Millican	15	BER	VISS	12	66	76	74	85	80	79	58	70	70	72	68	78	723
78	Sam Davidson	175	JPN	Shokunin	15	73	77	77	61	64	84	71	77	79	79	70	85	743
79	Torvald Klem	147	NOR	Orca	18	74	64	73	77	84	83	74	70	74	74	70	75	743
80	Eddie Bardgett	43	BER	V12	16	72	79	79	80	75	74	75	82	67	81	74	70	761
81	Haoyu Hu	51	CHN	VISS	17	69	71	75	72	81	75	80	78	77	77	79	77	767
82	Eugeniusz Ginter	16	POL	Vihuela3	15	78	75	85	82	82	81	81	79	82	85	71	80	806
83	Wayne Correia	125	BER	V10	16	85	78	85	81	78	77	83	81	80	82	76	81	813
84	Gonzalo Ugarte	6	CHI	BritPOP!	14	85	85	85	83	83	82	82	83	83	83	85	85	848