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

Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships at Weymouth & Portland National Sailing Academy - Day 2

by Tom and Ed Low 25 Aug 16:41 AEST 22-28 August 2026

GK Engineering Merlin Golf Masters on day 2 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at the WPNSA © GK Engineering

Monday 24th August, day 2 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket National Championships and Barton Marine Race Day!

Preceded with rumours by the PRO Peter Saxton at the end of Day One of high winds forecast for Day Two, and following an early call on Day Two, the fleet was shore-bound as AP over A was hoisted before 0930. Disappointing though this may have been for many, there was little doubt within the fleet that this was the right call.

Crews instead availed themselves to extracurricular activities, the main one being the GK Engineering Merlin Golf Masters while others experienced the nuanced and fascinating deeply cultural delights of Wey-bella (Costa-del-Wey). Some ventured out on the 21km route around the Isle of Portland, others on a 7km "rest-day" hike around the Purbecks, taking in the basic fayre offered at the quirky Square & Compass in Worth Matravers, and visited the Coastguard outpost along the walk to check maritime traffic movements in the English Channel. This included learning of the Russian shadow fleet ship cunningly renamed SMyrtos (it was Myrtos but they painted an 'S' at the front to fool MI6; super cunning those Ruskies) which is currently parked in Weymouth Bay adjacent to the Merlin champs racing area. The two coastguards clarifying the wind strength was consistently 28-33 knots, further confirming the PRO's wise decision.

The fleet is keen and eager to start early on Day Three for 3 glam races in champagne sailing conditions, which Peter Saxton has promised!

On the golf course, Mark Barwell won nearest to the pin, Rory Gifford the longest drive at 300 yards and James Goodfellow has taken home the Green Jacket for the Merlin Masters of 2026.

Spot prizes tonight were awarded to the Bronze, Silver and Gold Fleet race winners courtesy of P&B, and our Barton Marine Hero of the Day went to Geoff and Helen Kimber for managing to change the golfing schedule and making this event an integral part of the championships since 2021.

Tomorrow is ClamCleat Tuesday and a huge thank you, as ever, to all our sponsors for making this event possible, Aspire Financial Advisers, Barton Marine, ClamCleat, P&B and Winder Boats.

Fleet race winners from day 1 of the Aspire Merlin Rocket Nationals at the WPNSA - photo © Mark Barwell

Results after Day 2:

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