Vive la V12! Alexis Carre wins the IOM World Championship 2026 at Datchet Water Sailing Club

by Mark Jardine 24 May 01:08 BST 15-22 May 2026

After a fantastic Friday, we were all hoping for another day which would surpass the forecast and provide us with a thrilling conclusion to what has been a spectacular IOM World Championship at Datchet Water Sailing Club.

The wind though had other ideas, with the high pressure system taking a firm hold over the UK. There were three more heats needed to complete race 18 of the championship, and Principal Race Officer Peter Baldwin was determined to at least get those in.

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 6 - ITA 130, ITA 14, SWE 50 go for a practice sail in the light winds - photo © Mark Jardine

The fleet initially set up on the North West course for the first time during the event, but the wind was fickle and moving around too much to set a course. For a long time it looked like we were set for a day of frustration.

The race team then decamped to the South West course with the Heat C competitors, and set up a course. At times it looked futile, with the wind socks set up on some of the Datchet buoys dancing from left to right, signalling the huge shifts. There were also massive holes in the wind, but remarkably a long-enough window was found to hold the Heat C race.

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 6 - Postponement flag - photo © Mark Jardine

At the same time the Heat B and A skippers were marshalled past the clubhouse and onto the South West course, and Heat B got away as well, with event leader Alexis Carre making it into the top six safely to be promoted back in to Heat A after his black flag disqualification in Race 17.

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 6 - FRA 73 Alexis Carre makes his way to the race area - photo © Mark Jardine

It was then on to Heat A, but after a couple of attempts it was clear that the wind was clocking back to the right, and the race team, volunteers, skippers and everyone else made the walk past the clubhouse in the scorching heat of the hottest day of the year, and with little delay a race course was set and the countdown sequence started.

It took eight attempts, but eventually the race was started just minutes before the 4.30pm cut-off with the black flag keeping the majority of the fleet from pushing the line too much.

With his discards being so good, Alexis Carre knew by this point that the IOM World Championship title was his, and the French supporters were waving 'le drapeau tricolore' behind him as he controlled his yacht. Alexis though wasn't done yet, and wanted to finish the event in style... and that he did with his seventh win of the event.

The quiet and unassuming French sailor has dominated the week without any kind of shouting or incident. The margin of 40 points over second-placed Zvonko Jelacic, the defending champion, highlighted just how well he performed. 2011 champion Peter Stollery had described his sailing as phenomenal earlier in the week, and there are none present who would disagree.

Soon after racing I caught up with Alexis for his initial reaction.

"It's incredible. I'm speechless," he said. "It was over before the last race, but I was really waiting for the end to truly unwind. Now it's starting to sink in."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water - Alexis Carre with the French flag - photo © Mark Jardine

I asked him how he managed to sail so calmly, even during difficult moments, to which he gave me a particularly poignant reply considering he is sailing an Ian Vickers V12 designed and built yacht:

"That's a very good question, one I don't have the answer to yet. I try to put things into perspective - there are more serious things in life than small boats - so I take it as it comes."

I, like many, was curious as to why he made his own sails when there are many established fast designs on the market:

"It worked out for me this week because I've never found what I was looking for commercially. It's one of my proudest achievements, one that no one can take away from me. That I have become world champion with my own sails. Incredible."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water Day 6 - FRA 73 leading the fleet - photo © Mark Jardine

Second placed Zvonko Jelacic from Croatia was gracious in relinquishing his title:

"I'm happy with the result. I think Alexis did really, really well - he was practically unbeatable - so I'm really happy I beat all other normal sailors at the event!"

With Zvonko being a four-time champion, he knows well what the feeling is like when the boatspeed comes naturally, so I what that peak form feels like:

"In Brisbane it was quite a battle with Ian, who passed away recently, so I'm really happy that his boat managed to win the event. But you see this from time to time, someone has really good form and is practically unbeatable. I had similar in Brazil in 2019, when wherever I went it was super good. Alexis has been achieving podium places for three championships in a row, so we know each other."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water - Fred Rocha, Zvonko Jelacic, Alexis Carre - photo © Mark Jardine

Zvonko also talked about the similarities in sailing style of Ian Vickers and Alexis Carre:

"Both of them sail with a kind of calm and going their own way. And when they start to hit shifts, they are very tough to beat. I'd been racing both of them in the last World Championship, so it wasn't easy, but there I managed to prevail. Here he was the best, which is quite nice and good."

Zvonko was full of praise for the organisers:

"I enjoyed it quite a lot. It was very shifty, so maybe we could have better conditions, maybe we could have had worse. I think the race committee, volunteers and everyone did a great job. I'm not sure what could have been done better, so it was really good. Brilliant."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water - Race Team and Volunteers - photo © Mark Jardine

Third place went to Great Britain's Rob Walsh, who managed to hold off the charge of the USA's Peter Feldman by a single point. Rob has had to jump from sailing his yacht to parenting duties during the week, but still managed to put together an unbelievably consistent series, with all his counting results being in the top ten.

"It's always nice to get a podium, and yes, it's a bit of a balance with family life. I've been very fortunate, as my wife is very supportive, and she's allowed me to come away for the week and attend, and do a bit of duty in-between heats when the family's been here."

On the final race Rob added:

"Peter (Baldwin) held his nerve in the end and finally got the race off - I think at one point the A fleet were ready just to pack up and go home - but well done to Alexis, he sailed fantastically, so consistently, and got his final win in the last race as well. Well done to him."

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water - Alexis Carre with the trophy and other prize winners in the background - photo © Mark Jardine

A tribute to Ian

Dave Lindsay (NZL 23) has placed a subtle and poignant tribute to Ian Vickers on his IOM - another V12 designed and built by Ian:

"I was lucky enough to meet Ian Vickers where we went down to Gladstone, and the guy could not have been more helpful. I bought a brand-new V12 from him, and dealt with him on my V11 which I bought second-hand, and he bent over backwards to help.

"When you sailed against him he was the kindest, gentlest guy on the water. He never shouted, never screamed, wouldn't have an issue ducking you if you were on port. When you sailed with him he was really dynamic on his sail trim, and I learned a lot - he was literally letting the sails in and out all the time - a pleasure to watch actually."

NZL 23 with a tribute to Ian Vickers - photo © Mark Jardine

Ian was a designer, sailor, and driving force behind radio sailing in New Zealand, but Dave reinforced how his influence spread much further afield:

"When you say he's done a lot for sailing in New Zealand, he's done a lot for people around the world as well. He missed out on winning by one point in Gladstone, and deserved to win it, but having Alexis win this event, sailing a V12, is a massive tribute to Ian and the V guys out there."

With Alexis Carre's victory, it has been especially fitting with the calm, quiet and methodical way that he'd sailed. Not just using Ian's last IOM design, but also sailing in his style:

"Alexis has been the bridesmaid so many times at events, with seconds and thirds at Worlds and European events, and it's just his time."

It has been a superb week of racing to witness, with an incredible depth of talent in the fleet. That depth was demonstrated repeatedly when some of the top sailors in each heat were relegated and struggled to gain promotion afterwards.

2026 IOM Worlds at Datchet Water - A tight and bright start on the final day - photo © Mark Jardine

The IOM class is the pinnacle of model yachting, and the event was a fitting celebration of radio sailing with a worthy champion crowned. Radio sailing is a growing sector of the sport, with some of the top names of 'big boat sailing' trying their hand at it alongside their regular boat, and one that is highly addictive. The sailors are welcoming to new members, and these international events are as much a gathering of friends as a competition. It's a highly enjoyable fleet to be around.

More information on the event website, www.iomworlds2026.com with more on the event's Facebook page, and videos being uploaded to YouTube.

Overall Results:

Pos	Skipper	Sail No	Club/City	Hull	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	R15	R16	R17	R18	Pts
1	Alexis Carre	73	FRA	V12	2	4	2	10	1	3	4	1	1	5	1	1	3	14	1	8	85	1	38
2	Zvonko Jelacic	35	CRO	VISS	4	37	5	1	3	6	3	18	23	6	3	8	1	5	9	13	1	10	78
3	Rob Walsh	25	GBR	Venti	6	10	12	7	6	2	2	9	6	1	2	10	12	8	8	2	9	7	85
4	Peter Feldman	44	USA	VISS	3	5	4	6	16	5	6	13	2	13	9	7	8	13	7	3	3	5	86
5	Romain Dubreuil	77	FRA	Venti	3	6	8	4	2	7	13	8	3	4	12	12	13	10	11	7	2	4	91
6	Peter Stollery	39	GBR	BritPOP!	1	11	85	11	7	15	7	10	10	7	20	6	2	6	4	16	15	2	114
7	Robert Matulja	33	CRO	K2R	2	7	10	2	4	4	8	5	5	15	5	19	9.7	9	9.7	24	19	27	114.4
8	Ante Kovacevic	30	CRO	VISS	11	24	32	21	17	18	25	3	11	14	11	4	4	7	5	14	7	3	150
9	Brian Shores	117	USA	Venti	5	29	20	15	10	9	15	12	12	18	4	5	18	18	3	12	4	8	150
10	Craig Richards	2	GBR	Proteus	3	1	15	13	9	14	5	2	17	30	24	26	7	17	37	1	8	20	156
11	Olivier Cohen	100	FRA	GC24	8	14	14	9	12	12	14	7	4	17	27	9	21	25	10	17	5	6	158
12	Jan Springer	10	POL	Venti	1	8	23	17	29	13	12	17	20	23	30	13	9	3	2	15	85	19	195
13	Guillermo Beltri	47	ESP	GC24	12	49	30	24	21	30	20	14	9	19	14	2	6	1	15	11	18	21	207
14	Mark Golison	55	USA	Venti	2	3	18	29	19	19	26	6	15	2	16	21	36	19.4	41	26	14	9	215.4
15	Steve Landeau	17	USA	Venti	6	31	13	3	11	11	17	25	24	31	23	32	24	15	16	10	16	12	226
16	Barr Batzer	64	USA	V12	4	26	26	36	22	33	28	23	13	3	19	3	15	11	18	19.2	12	14	228.2
17	Soren Andresen	93	DEN	Nexus	3	20	23	37	36	48	24	31	7	10	6	11	14	12	13	9	13	85	232
18	Sean Bradley	46	USA	Venti	6	27	29	19	30	31	16	16	18	28	7	20	17	26	24	4	11	11	250
19	Josh King	126	GBR	POP!	1	15	11	18	37	23	9	4	14	20	85	43	49	59	19	5	17	34	270
20	Darin Ballington	98	GBR	BritPOP!	7	44	24	23.7	34	46	30	24	16	8	10	14	22	31	17	30	6	16	278.7
21	Aaron Farrar	37	AUS	V12	2	2	3	14	14	20	29	27	26	27	25	25	25	35	47	47	25	24	288
22	Luningning Chen	12	CHN	VISS	1	21	16	22	13	8	19	26	28	24	35	27	31	30	26	23	29	15	298
23	Matteo Longhi	11	SUI	V11	9	40	41	48	23	1	10	11	22	11	18	18	27	28	27	33	27	37	302
24	Paul Jones	48	AUS	Venti	10	12	6	12	8	23	1	21	29	34	45	39	44	21	34	39	46	29	318
25	Graham Elliott	9	GBR	BritPOP!	2	13	1	8	5	10	21	33	25	23	85	51	40	50	51	6	85	32	320
26	Carlos Beltri	121	ESP	Venti	1	9	19	26	25	85	37	47	21	37	46	16	20	20	12	21	24	36	324
27	Tonko Puljiz	40	CRO	VISS	11	54	55	50	55	39	23	15	8	12	15	15	10	19	23	28	32	25	325
28	Pablo Walper	13	CHI	Venti	8	38	28	23	15	16	18	34	39	51	43	41	5	16	14	20	26	26	326
29	Glenn Dawson	76	AUS	V12	4	17	38	46	28	24	22	20	36	9	8	17	33	48	36	39	23	30	345
30	Odd Ornulf Stray	90	NOR	VISS	11	56	42	44	41	43	43	29	33	26	17	37	16	2	23	31	10	13	374
31	Alex Scapens	106	AUS	V12	9	18	7	20	39	26	11	19	37	47	41	29	19	36	46	42	44	40	393
32	Yann Masse	8	FRA	VISS	5	28	31	32	31	27	31	37	41	39	23	31	30	23	32	32	39	17	410
33	Paolo Cappa	130	ITA	Venti	13	59	40	25	33	17	34	38	50	56	33.6	40	35	22	6	19	30	28	413.6
34	Pierre‑Yves Mechin	67	FRA	V12	5	32.9	9	5	18	36	47	43	38	44	26	38	29	29	35	53	43	39	425.9
35	Tony Edwards	75	GBR	R2V2	3	19	25	30	32	25	33	45	43	46	39	35	39	39	25	29	28	31	432
36	Martin Roberts	22	GBR	BritPOP!	7	37	44	53	65	55	46	46	31	29	31	28	11	4	23	22	39	46	444
37	Elio Cavallo	113	ITA	GC24	10	46	46	45	46	37	45	28	27	23	28	23	37	42	43	27	39	23	477
38	Remco Sol	193	NED	Shuffle cl	4	16	17	34	44	44	27	30	34	52	50	56	26	32	39	50	57	45	492
39	Sven Forense	142	CRO	VISS	13	68	85	55	58	67	44	41	19	16	21	30	23	27	30	37	40	41	495
40	David Lindsay	23	NZL	V12	14	53	67	28	35	29	36	39	45	32	13	22	28	38	55	55	62	61	522
41	Francisco Martinez Berzagay	116	ESP	V12	16	71	85	56	27	28	32	22	32	25	29	33	32	34	50	56	85	73	543
42	Patricio Montero	38	FRA	V11	5	33	39	42	49	63	57	42	47	36	48	42	43	43	29	34	39	42	564
43	Diego Sebastian Louyer	26	ARG	Solaris	18	52	63	63	42	55	56	44	52	38	40	36	48	40	31	35	39	18	588
44	Paulo Maio Gomes	156	POR	BritPOP!	8	22	36	31	26	35	42	40	49	58	59	62	64	72	40	48	42	53	589
45	Tim Hand	134	GBR	BritPOP!	7	30	27	16	20	34	52	60	44	42	34	34	53	67	74	79	73	71	591
46	Adam Barboza	21	BER	K2	9	50	56	61	51	38	35	36	30	35	39	44	52	68	70	52	41	43	611
47	Kurt Camilleri Burlo	3	MLT	K2	6	23	37	41	47	52	60	52	40	40	49	58	57	66	44	45	50	49	632
48	David Ramos	105	USA	BritPOP!	6	37	49	39	45	39	51	66	42	41	47	45	41	53	56	57	70	63	648
49	Gary McCarthy	181	AUS	GC24	11	43	43	40	40	42	39	35	55	55	57	55	56	56	64	59	56	52	678
50	Peter Tans	149	NED	K2	15	67	85	49	59	70	43	70	75	57	85	64	45	33	28	25	31	33	689
51	Vedran Vesanovic	144	CRO	K2	13	85	61	64	63	41	50	68	46	49	33	46	46	44	48	46	52	55	693
52	Rogivue Gerald	49	SUI	K2	14	55	60	70	73	45	55	49	63	55	32	24	34	51	57	62	54	48	695
53	Stan Wallace	69	BAH	BritPOP!	7	52	59	70	67	65	70	73	59	33	44	47	54	46	45	43	53	54	728
54	Thomas Enwall	50	SWE	V12	10	62	45	35	43	47	49	56	61	62	61	49	55	69	70	71	60	35	730
55	Hrvoje Duvancic	171	CRO	K2	14	58	33	47	24	32	38	53	60	64	75	73	74	81	71	58	51	64	740
56	Ricardo Gonzalo Pollono	63	ARG	Venti	4	32	35	33	52	58	68	61	51	65	52	59	60	63	59	64	85	58	741
57	Colin Cashmore	45	NZL	V12	8	48	52	57	60	40	41	50	57	48	42	52	51	65	78	72	72	72	743
58	Jean‑Pascal Morel	24	FRA	V12	5	25	34	55	70	59	69	79	85	85	66	72	67	52	42	44	34	51	745
59	Gary Boell	71	USA	BritPOP!	14	85	51	43	39	51	64	85	48	45	53	57	59	57.5	55	54	65	56	746.5
60	Paolo Patrini	14	ITA	K2	8	41	47	52	56	57	67	70	58	59	56	48	50	60	66	73	48	47	753
61	Torsten Fildebrandt	87	GER	Venti	15	79	85	85	74	71	58	67	71	43	85	63	58	41	39	18	33	39	769
62	Lionel Marsaly	31	FRA	Venti	16	42	54	51	55	61	48	54	65	81	78	85	76	37	49	49	61	60	778
63	Ulf Lindberg	112	SWE	Proteus	7	45	48	39	41	49	63	59	67	72	58	55	62	57.5	67	70	70	75	787.5
64	Rohner Ernst	120	SUI	Parabellum	12	57	68	76	78	70	76	76	73	73	80	55	61	24	33	41	45	44	808
65	Feliciano Ballestin	97	ESP	GC24	9	47	50	62	64	60	55	51	55	66	55	60	68	70	62	66	63	68	825
66	Norbert Heinz	19	GER	Slice	10	65	57	67	71	73	71	64	74	71	70	77	42	47	53	51	49	62	850
67	Marin Bizjak	5	CRO	K2	10	63	69	65	75	77	40	32	35	50	65	80	66	74	72	75	64	85	855
68	Baron Bremer	81	USA	Polaris	12	61	62	66	62	55	59	63	64	63	60	67	73	75	63	60	58	65	873
69	Claes Nordin	99	SWE	ProteusEVO	13	76	66	58	48	50	62	55	62	60	62	50	65	76	85	76	74	77	877
70	Gary Winton	54	USA	V12	11	64	72	70	76	62	66	57	66	78	71	78	69	45	52	61	59	59	884
71	Pablo Alvarez	74	CHI	GC24	16	70	70	71	57	56	65	77	72	75	76	85	71	79	76	40	47	50	912
72	Roberto Lindstaedt	20	BRA	V12	15	85	65	85	70	79	61	62	68	61	70	61	47	49	61	70	75	81	914
73	Richard Smith	166	AUS	ProteusEVO	13	77	74	78	79	74	72	48	55	68	64	75	72	71	58	65	66	57	932
74	Bengt Oldsberg	159	SWE	K2	12	60	58	60	50	66	73	78	76	70	63	66	79	61	68	77	83	80	938
75	Claudio Vaz	66	BRA	Polaris	18	75	73	72	66	76	78	65	56	53	70	65	63	55	65	82	76	66	938
76	Torvald Klem	147	NOR	Orca	18	74	64	73	77	84	83	74	70	74	74	70	75	62	60	63	55	67	973
77	Jimmy Teo	34	MAS	VISS	9	39	53	59	68	72	80	72	80	76	73	81	85	80	77	84	80	82	999
78	Chuck Millican	15	BER	VISS	12	66	76	74	85	80	79	58	70	70	72	68	78	64	79	70	77	74	1008
79	Sam Davidson	175	JPN	Shokunin	15	73	77	77	61	64	84	71	77	79	79	70	85	78	81	74	75.3	78	1048.3
80	Eddie Bardgett	43	BER	V12	16	72	79	79	80	75	74	75	82	67	81	74	70	77	73	70	71	85	1052
81	Haoyu Hu	51	CHN	VISS	17	69	71	75	72	81	75	80	78	77	77	79	77	73	80	78	85	70	1068
82	Eugeniusz Ginter	16	POL	Vihuela3	15	78	75	85	82	82	81	81	79	82	85	71	80	85	82	80	79	76	1123
83	Wayne Correia	125	BER	V10	16	85	78	85	81	78	77	83	81	80	82	76	81	83	75	81	82	83	1134
84	Gonzalo Ugarte	6	CHI	BritPOP!	14	85	85	85	83	83	82	82	83	83	83	85	85	82	83	83	81	79	1171