2026 Optimum Time Phantom Inlands at Grafham Water Sailing Club

by Richard Nurse 21 May 07:46 BST 16-17 May 2026

You could say for me the story of the Optimum Time 2026 Phantom Inlands at Grafham Water Sailing Club started the week before. An East Coast legend Till Baylor asked me to deliver one of his used sails to which I said, "yes, what is the name?" The response was "Matt". I then looked at the entry list and low and behold I saw three Matt guys on the entry. Fast forward to Friday Till calls me to check I still have the sail and I am still going. I think he was on a bus. The answer to both was yes.

The big day loomed after a short cross country trip I arrived at Grafham. Rigging in the sunshine and catching up with old friends, before the early briefing with PRO Peter Curtis and a special guest from the government to help educate us on non-native species, killer shrimp. Now time for a cup of tea and change before hitting the water for a 12pm start.

Race 1, start 1. With 30 eager helms biting at the bullet, there was a mass pile-up at the pin end leading to the inevitable general recall.

Race 1, start 2. Now with the 'U' flag flying, the fleet was more well-behaved. Leading around the windward mark was Delph sailing club's, Phil Worth, followed by South East rep, Jezz Deacon, from Broadwater sailing club. Both had gone into the right hand corner. However on the second beat it would be the left hand side that would pay, allowing the man on a mission, Sam Coxon, to pull from the high teens into second. Reigning national champion, John Rickard, from Hooe Point in Plymouth, in the driving seat until the finish.

Race 2. Got under way first time. Sam Coxon would lead at the windward mark, with the battle once again resuming with Rickard. Until the final run when Sam would open up a large lead for the win.

Race 3. A building breeze it would be 2016 national champion, Will Gulliver, who would round first, only for Sam to pass him on the run to lead to the finish.

Race 4. Last race of Saturday. This time it would be the 2024 Inland champion, Adam Froggatt, who would show the fleet a clean set of heels and lead the race from start to finish. With some close racing it would be class legend, John (Titch) Wayling, that would take second place.

Saturday Night! After sailing a suspicious looking sailor was seen in the dinghy park wielding a water can. The first round of drinks came from the smiling team from Chase Water. It would be at this point that we would meet the elusive Matt, who had come looking to collect Till's sail, always good to see a happy customer. The Broadstairs bar then opened in the remote club house of Hooe Point club house. Before the majority of the fleet headed for dinner and shots at The Wheatsheaf pub.

Sunday morning loomed with some sore bodies and heads. As a group of sailors waited outside the clubhouse cafe to open, there was a degree of drama caused by a cleaner not locking the door. A prominent sailing club member accidentally triggered the police monitored burglar alarm. Perhaps someone was after Till/Matt's sail.

The local constabulary visited the club and realised they were too busy to investigate the attempted sail burglary and didn't have any leads on the man with watering can one - for crimewatch perhaps.

Race 5. Saw Sam Coxon carry on his form from the day before. This time battling it out with last year's runner up, Matthew Sharman (not Matt with Till's sail).

Race 6. The legend that is Magic Mike Webster would lead round the first mark, thankfully with his clothes on unlike his Magic Mike side hustle. John Rickard, didn't get the message about the race being Mike's and sailed past on the second beat.

Race 7 "The one with the triangle." This time Coxon would lead from start till finish, with Rich Nurse getting into second on the second lap.

Race 8. The wind was up from the start, it allowed Gulliver to punch out a lead. Fellow big gun John Rickard chased down by the man from Chase. Again Coxon in third rounding out his very convincing series.

The Phantom Class is very fortunate to still have a tangible link with the families of the designers, Moira Nash, daughter of Brian Taylor, attended the event to present a new trophy. The Inland Championship Phantom Spirit Trophy, awarded to the lowest place finisher completing all the races. This year was won by Mike Blunt in his classic Phantom 449. Sam thanked all that helped organised the event and the event sponsors Optimum Time who provided a selection of great watches for that perfect start.

The event also formed part of the 2025/2026 Craftinsure Phantom Super Series, a 7 event programme of events across the country. Prizes of this will be presented at the 2026 Tenby Sailing Club P&B Nationals 3rd-6th of September.

Overall Results:

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	Pts
1st	1450	Sam Coxon	The Chase Sailing Club	2	1	1	‑5	1	3	1	3	12
2nd	1506	Jon Rickard	Hooe point SC	1	2	3	‑9	6	1	8	2	23
3rd	1481	Will Gulliver	Northampton SC	‑15	4	2	4	10	5	7	1	33
4th	1449	Adam Froggatt	Chase SC	4	5	8	1	5	8	4	(DNC)	35
5th	1500	Richard Nurse	NSCHSC	3	‑12.5	7	8	3	6	2	6	35
6th	1440	Mike Webster	Castle Cove SC	11	7	5	7	(OCS)	2	6	5	43
7th	1467	Ben Hawkes	Snettisham SC/RAFSA	8	9	4	6	‑13	4	5	8	44
8th	1287	Matthew Sharman	Delph Sailing Club	7	10	‑12	12	2	9	10	4	54
9th	1488	Andy Pyett	Combs Sailing Club	14	6	‑16	3	8	11	11	7	60
10th	1504	John Wayling	Northampton SC	‑19	17	6	2	9	13	3	14	64
11th	1457	Daniel Wigmore	Middle Nene Sailing Club	13	3	9	15	4	15	‑17	15	74
12th	1423	Jeremy Deacon	Broadwater SC	5	‑15	14	13	11	10	15	13	81
13th	1266	Kieran Bowsher	WOSC	16	8	15	19	‑20	7	14	16	95
14th	1485	Clive Harries	Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club	20	14	20	17	7	‑22	9	10	97
15th	1492	Jim Hopton	Shustoke SC	9	18	‑19	10	17	19	16	9	98
16th	1313	Alex Fastnedge	Cotswold Sailing Club	12	16	18	‑22	14	14	13	11	98
17th	1418	Michelle Collier‑Brooks	Oxford	(RET)	20	11	11	24	17	12	12	107
18th	1183	Matt Reynolds	Grafham Water Sailing Club	10	12.5	10	18	16	12	(RET)	DNC	109.5
19th	1509	Phil Worth	Delph Sailing Club	6	11	21	16	15	(RET)	DNC	DNC	131
20th	1371	Richard Clayton	Yorkshire Dales Sailing Club	23	19	13	14	‑25	24	23	20	136
21st	1405	Andy Smith	Hollingworth Lake	21	(DSQ)	17	20	21	16	18	DNC	144
22nd	1351	Nick Thorp	Ardleigh	17	21	23	24	19	18	(RET)	DNC	153
23rd	1297	Nick Crickmore	Waveney & Alton Broad	26	‑27	27	27	12	23	19	21	155
24th	1496	Phil Longley	Stone Sailing Club	18	24	22	23	18	21	(DNC)	DNC	157
25th	1415	Justin Philipps	Frensham Pond SC	28	25	25	(DNC)	27	26	21	17	169
26th	449	Mike Blunt	Notts County SC	25	26	26	26	26	‑27	22	19	170
27th	1257	Matt Andrews	Ulley Sailing Club	27	28	(RET)	DNC	28	25	24	18	181
28th	33	Jonny Coates	Southport SC	(DNC)	DNC	DSQ	25	23	20	20	DNC	181
29th	1421	Terry Brooks	OSC	24	23	24	21	(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	185
30th	15	Tim Denby	Broadstairs Sailing Club	22	22	(DNC)	DNC	22	RET	DNC	DNC	190