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Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD

Merlin Rocket River Championships 2025 at Upper Thames Sailing Club

by Rob Cage 29 May 07:58 BST 24-26 May 2025

With a breezy forecast for the three day event held over the Bank Holiday weekend fourteen boats entered the Merlin River Champs, held as part of Bourne End Week.

Day 1 - 24th May

Race 1 was held in 10 - 15 mph, Ollie Meadowcroft and Alex Pausey sailing 2040, Robin Hood, a 60 year old boat from the home club Upper Thames Sailing Club, mastered the challenging shifts and gusts to lead from the start and take win from Mark Stockbridge and Charlie Cotter in 3727.

The second was an impressive result in a modern wide Merlin, which even in stronger winds is not always a match for the older narrower designs with their lower wetted area and taller rigs. Third was ex Merlin National Champion Pat and Jilly Blake in 901.

The second race was the same strong shifty conditions and Mark and Charlie led the fleet home from Ollie and Alex, in third this time was Rob Cage and Chris Martin in 1692 from Thames SC.

Day 2 - 25th May

Sunday dawned with a 15 - 24 forecast, unusually strong for the upper reaches of the Thames and so it proved with a couple of the Merlins adding a swim to their exercise count for the day. Rob and Chris led until they rolled it in on the run, capsizing to windward. Rising above the chaos Ollie and Alex made it look all too easy and got another bullet - again followed by Mark and Charlie. Third was Mark Barwell and Lou Johnson in 1493.

The second race of the day was equally windy, again with the a couple of capsize even at the top of the fleet. Ollie and Alex and Mark and Charlie taking top spots in that order again, third was Rob and Chris in 1692.

Day 3 - 26th May

The final day was a little less full on in terms of breeze but still windy against what we normally see on the River. 2040 again showed great boat handling skills and boat-speed to win race 5 of the Regatta, again followed by Mark and Charlie, but they were unfortunately OCS, so third went to Rob and Chris.

The last race of the event sailed in a gusty 10-15 mph with the usual shifts and holes in the wind. Ollie and Alex again showed superb skills to lead off the start line and take the win despite 1692 briefly taking the lead mid race when they found a gust downwind to briefly get in front, but both 2040 and 3727 soon get back to the front.

At the finish it was 2040 followed by 3727, with 1692 in third.

Thank you to everyone involved in the organisation of Bourne End Week, we look forward to seeing you in 2026 as part of the 80th anniversary celebrations of the class.

Overall Results:

PosBoatSail NoHelmCrewClubR1R2R3R4R5 R6 Pts
1Robin Hood2040Ollie MeadowcroftAlex PauseyUpper Thames1211115
2Fragile3727Mark StockbridgeCharlie CotterUTSC / Welsh Harp2122OCS29
3Hullabaloo1692Rob CageChris MartinThames53432315
4Rocketeer1661Kevin RoseTim WilliamsUpper Thames647DNF5628
5Katy Lou1493Mark BarwellLouise JohnsonLymington Town7DNS3DNF4433
6Atomic Mustard2681Guy BrowneGreg MartinTrent Valley95677934
7Bottle Rocket1911Tre JacobsHolly JacobsUpper Thames86DNF510736
8Flinkidink1097Stuart JenkinsNicola ScaddanUpper ThamesDNSDNF546838
9Wild Waters1700Peter WalkerDebbie WalkerUpper Thames4DNFDNFDNC3542
10Pandemonium3152Mike SteeleDeb SteeleSESCA11OCS869DNC49
11Chindit578Peter SlackImmy BrownTrent Valley107DNCDNC8DNC55
12Deep Thought3451Dan EddisonLyla JacobsUpper Thames12DNF9DNF11DNF62
13Tiercel901Patrick BlakeJilly BlakeCookham Reach3DNSDNCDNCDNFDNC63
14 1868   DNCDNCDNFDNCDNCDNC75

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