2026 Snowflake Series at Chichester Yacht Club - Day 3
by Mark Green 3 Feb 07:32 GMT
1 February 2026
Competitors arrived for the February Snowflake races to a scene that did little to inspire confidence: steady rain, a flat harbour, and a forecast offering barely a whisper of breeze. Even so, more than thirty determined sailors rigged up, proving once again that winter racing at Chichester Yacht Club has a loyal following whatever the weather.
Race Officer Mark Harper set a trapezium course stretching from Coperas toward Birdham. With the wind initially too light to fill sails, many boats drifted aimlessly around the committee boat, prompting a postponement while everyone waited for the faintest sign of pressure. When a usable breeze finally settled, the fleets were released — or at least, they tried to be. The Fast Fleet, keen not to be stranded in the dying air, crowded the line and earned themselves a general recall.
Once both fleets eventually got away, the sun broke through and the light but steady breeze allowed the race to unfold cleanly. As Race 1 concluded, a dramatic black cloud swept across the course, delivering a welcome pulse of wind. Unfortunately, it also swung the direction far enough to force a full course reset before Race 2.
By the time the marks were repositioned, the best of the breeze had already passed. The Fast Fleet quickly spotted the line bias and stacked up at the pin, with several boats tacking immediately onto port — a bold move that resulted in at least one individual recall.
Fast Fleet - Race 5
In the patchy early breeze, Rob Henderson & Rebecca Videlo in the RS200 (1636) mastered the conditions, taking the win on corrected time.
Terry Hunt's Blaze followed just 21 seconds behind on handicap, with George Yeoman & Mark Oakley/Jonty Freeman in Merlin Rocket 3777 completing the podium.
Close battles ran throughout the Merlin Rocket pack, with four boats finishing within 90 seconds on corrected time. The RS400s of Jack Holden and Matthew Johnston & Claire Power also featured strongly, both inside the top eight.
Fast Fleet - Race 6
With the breeze briefly returning, the Fast Fleet enjoyed a longer four-lap race. This time Jack Holden in the RS400 (1550) took a decisive win, sailing cleanly through the fleet.
The Merlin Rockets again showed consistency, with Alex Jackson & Alex Warren (3823) and Yeoman's 3777 taking second and third.
Henderson & Videlo followed up their earlier win with fifth, keeping their series score healthy.
Medium Fleet - Race 5
The Medium Fleet managed to keep moving in the marginal breeze, with Alex Butler in Solo 5781 delivering a commanding win on corrected time.
James Stewart (ILCA 6) and Adrian & Roz Stell (2000) completed the top three after a tight battle across the two-lap course.
Strong performances also came from Mark Riddington (RS Aero 7) and Charles Porter (ILCA 7), both finishing within half a minute on handicap.
Medium Fleet - Race 6
As the wind faded again, the Medium Fleet ground out a three-lap race. This time Charles Porter in the ILCA 7 took the win, with Butler's Solo close behind in second.
Alex Ogilvie (OK) claimed third, just ahead of Riddington's Aero.
Series Summary - With Two Race Days and Four Races Remaining
With six races now completed and two discards applied, both fleets are shaping up for a compelling finish to the 2025/26 Snowflake Series. Consistency has been the defining factor so far, and the leaderboard in both the Fast and Medium Fleets shows tight battles throughout the top ten.
Fast Fleet summary
Jack Holden (RS400 1550) holds a narrow but meaningful lead on 5 points, thanks to three race wins and a remarkably steady scoreline. His ability to perform in both light and moderate conditions has made him the benchmark so far.
Behind him, the fight for the podium is intense:
Rob Henderson & Rebecca Videlo (RS200 1636) sit second on 14 points, boosted by their win in Race 5 and a solid fifth in Race 6.
Just one point behind them, George Yeoman & Mark Oakley/Jonty Freeman (Merlin Rocket 3777) are on 15 points, showing excellent form with two third-place finishes on the latest race day.
The next group — Jackson/Warren, Richards/Felbusch, and Carveth/Dhonau — are all within striking distance should conditions favour the Merlin Rockets in the closing stages.
Further down the table, several boats have strong individual results but are hampered by early-series absences. If they return for the final two race days, they could still disrupt the order at the top.
Medium Fleet summary
The Medium Fleet is shaping up to be one of the closest Snowflake battles in recent years. After six races and two discards, the top two boats are tied on 6 points.
Adrian & Roz Stell (2000 2212) lead on countback, with three race wins and a third giving them the strongest set of bullets in the fleet.
Alex Butler (Solo 5781) matches them point-for-point, with two wins and two seconds — a model of consistency.
Behind them, Mark Riddington (RS Aero 7) sits third on 11 points, still well within range if the leading pair falter.
The next group — Iain & Sarah Yardley (2000), Charles Porter (ILCA 7), and Mark Harper (Solo) — are separated by only a handful of points. With four races still to sail, the battle for the podium is wide open.
Further down the fleet, several sailors have shown flashes of speed, including James Stewart, Thomas Knight, and Alex Ogilvie, all of whom have top-ten potential on their day.
With the top two tied and the next pack closing in, the Medium Fleet could easily go down to the final race.
Looking Ahead
Two race days remain — 22 February and 8 March — offering four more opportunities to shape the final standings. With light-air specialists, heavy-weather performers, and several boats returning after early-series absences, the closing stages promise to be unpredictable and exciting.