Osmotech UK Cowes–Alderney Race 2026 with JOG
by JOG 2 Jul 18:24 BST
26-27 June 2026
Osmotech UK Cowes–Alderney Race with JOG © John Green
The forecast ahead of the Osmotech Cowes-Alderney Race suggested it was unlikely to be a quick crossing. Thursday evening's weather briefing pointed towards light and variable conditions, with arrival times in Alderney looking anything but predictable.
With the tides dictating proceedings, the fleet started at 2000 on Friday evening to take full advantage of the west-going ebb through the Solent and make the most of the favourable current towards the Channel Islands.
A fading westerly provided enough pressure to send the fleet out of the Solent in good order and, by the time the Needles were astern, most crews had made encouraging progress.
As darkness fell, however, the race changed completely.
The breeze disappeared across the Channel, leaving boats scattered through the shipping lanes in near calm conditions. Through the night crews drifted slowly westwards, searching for any sign of pressure while keeping a close eye on both the weather and the tide.
It quickly became a race where patience and decision making counted for more than outright speed.
With very little reliable wind and significant tidal influences to contend with, every puff mattered and positioning became critical. Some boats found enough pressure to keep moving while others parked up completely for long periods.
When the sun rose on Saturday morning, many of the fleet were still a considerable distance from Alderney after a long and frustrating night.
Fortunately, a gentle south-easterly gradually filled in during the morning, allowing crews to set reaching and downwind sails and finally begin making meaningful progress once again. Speeds returned to a more respectable six to eight knots and, at last, Alderney began to feel within reach.
The final approach to Braye Harbour would provide one final challenge.
As the fleet closed the island, the wind once again became extremely light while the tidal streams around Alderney continued to build. Boats ghosted towards the finish line at little more than walking pace, with some finding themselves tantalisingly close to the harbour wall but unable to make progress against the tide.
Line honours went to Espresso Martini, whose crew almost saw victory slip away as the breeze disappeared on the final approach. Finding just enough pressure and shelter from the tide to creep around the breakwater, they secured first place on the water ahead of British Soldier and Horizon Hunter.
Overall IRC honours went to Stan the Boat, the Sigma 33 sailed by Toby Gorman and crew. Their result was a reminder that JOG racing remains highly competitive for well sailed older designs, with good seamanship and smart decisions continuing to pay dividends offshore.
Their finish was particularly dramatic. Stan the Boat arrived as part of a group of nine boats crossing in rapid succession, with positions continuing to change right up to the finish despite crews having already spent close to nineteen hours at sea.
In the class results, Horizon Hunter took Class 1 honours, while Nightjar won Class 2 and Rockit claimed the double-handed prize. Tom Gurney took the Generation JOG prize, while With Alacrity won the Women's Sailing Series prize.
Ashore, competitors received the usual warm welcome from Alderney Sailing Club, whose members once again provided excellent hospitality for the visiting fleet. Sailors enjoyed live music at The Moorings, a barbecue and an evening spent watching the football.
For some crews, however, the race was still not over.
Several of the smaller and slower boats remained on the water well into Saturday evening, with elapsed times stretching beyond twenty-four hours. Some crews arrived just as the social activities were beginning to wind down, having persevered through one of the more testing editions of the race in recent years.
Special credit goes to those crews who resisted the temptation to retire and continued all the way to the finish despite the challenging conditions.
The 2026 Osmotech UK Cowes-Alderney Race may not be remembered for its speed, but it will certainly be remembered for the patience, perseverance and tactical decision making it demanded from start to finish.
Results:
Women's Sailing Series Winner: With Alacrity
Hernri-Lloyd Generation JOG Prize Winner: Tom Gurney, Horizon Hunter
Class 1:
1. British Soldier, Michael De Winton
2. Horizon Hunter, Sean Richardson
3. Espresso Martini Too, Cameron Davis
Class 2:
1. Nightjar, Lulu Wallis
2. Jetpack, Mark & Ella Brown
3. Jeroboam, Stephen Davis
Class 3:
1. Stan the Boat, Toby Gorman (Overall IRC winners)
2. First Light, Chris Flewitt
3. With Alacrity, Chris & Vanessa Choules
Double Handed:
1. Rockit, Chris Hanson
2. Sailfish, Oli Hawkins
3. Sanity, Carol Lo
Full results: myjog.jog.org.uk/results
Next on the calendar is the offshore Race to Dartmouth on Friday 24 July, enter now. You can also check out the remaining races of the season.
The race to Dartmouth will be followed by JOG Week in Dartmouth, sponsored by Henri-Lloyd. It's shaping up to be a fantastic regatta, with plenty happening on shore as well. See jog.org.uk/henri-lloyd-jog-week-2026