Merlin Rocket HD Sails Midland Circuit at Bartley Sailing Club

First, Rob Kennaugh and Andy Prosser - Merlin Rocket HD Sails Midland Circuit at Bartley © BSC

Bartley Sailing Club welcomed an 11-boat Merlin Rocket fleet on Sunday 7th June 2026 for a highly competitive day of racing for the HD Sails Midland Circuit. With tricky, shifting conditions testing both tactical awareness and boat handling, consistency proved to be key.

Ultimately, it was the Midland SC pairing of Rob Kennaugh and Andrew Prosser who put on a masterclass at the front of the fleet, claiming overall victory with a almost flawless scoreline.

The opening race of the day saw the fleet eager to find clear air and master the Bartley shifts. Rob and Andy laid down an early marker, executing a brilliant tactical strategy to take a commanding race win.

Chasing hard behind them were South Staffs SC's Andy Davis and Holly Evans (3758), who secured a strong 2nd place finish, with Holly jumping in the merlin for the first time. Ed Bradburn and Ollie Goodhead (3724) crossed the line in 3rd, being chased hard by Local Bartley SC sailors Richard Adams and Sophie Forbes (3765). Who made an excellent start to their event, showing early signs of being one of the pairs to watch until an unfortunate capsize causing them to play catch up securing a solid 4th.

Race 2: Front Runners Go Blow-for-Blow

Race 2 saw a shakeup at the front, but the same familiar names dominated the conversation. Rob and Andy proved their opening win was a sign they were there to win, delivering another clinical performance to take their second consecutive bullet of the day.

Ed and Ollie bounced back brilliantly from their first-race to secure 2nd place, keeping their podium hopes alive. It was a tough race for Davis and Evans, who crossed the line in 3rd but would ultimately use this as their discard. Howard Eeles and Justin Gem (3742) capitalized on the shifting breeze to grab an excellent 4th place For several teams, including Adams/Forbes who unfortunately snapped there spinnaker pole, the tricky conditions resulted in multiple retirements.

Race 3: Taxi Bounces Back

With the event overall victory already mathematically secured, The race was on for second and third. Andy Davis and Holly Evans showed their class, after a tight first couple of laps where positions were constantly changing, they finally managed to extend and take the win.

With the event winners Rob and Andrew taking second place Ed and Ollie capped off a highly consistent day with a 3rd place finish, solidifying their spot on the bottom step of the podium. Howard Eeles and Justin Gem backed up their Race 2 performance with another 4th, earning themselves a well-deserved 4th place overall.

Second, Andy Davis and Holly Evans - Merlin Rocket HD Sails Midland Circuit at Bartley - photo © BSC

Overall Standings

By the end of the day, attrition and the demanding conditions took their toll on the fleet, with several boats sitting out the final race. A huge Congratulations to Rob and Andrew on taking the win, followed by Taxi and Holly in second, Ed and Ollie taking the third.

A huge thank you to everyone at Bartley Sailing Club for putting on a great event, in what can only be described as challenging conditions.

The next event on the HD Sails Midland Circuit was at Blithfield Sailing Club on the 14th June and then Burton Sailing Club on the 28th June.

Third, Ed Bradburn and Oliver Goodhead - Merlin Rocket HD Sails Midland Circuit at Bartley - photo © BSC

Overall Results:

Fourth, Howard Eeles and Justin Gem - Merlin Rocket HD Sails Midland Circuit at Bartley - photo © BSC