Steele Raymond Lymington XOD Week at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club
by Jeremy Baker 6 Jul 05:42 BST
24-28 June 2026
Steele Raymond Lymington XOD Week © Claire Sowry
Steele Raymond Lymington XOD Week 2026 served up the full range of Solent conditions across five days of racing, from near-calm to a South Westerly into the mid-twenties, and the week rewarded consistency. 22 XODs participated, and after eight races it was John Tremlett's X91 Astralita that came out on top.
The fleet was delighted to welcome John Tremlett to the regatta. The most successful XOD sailor of all time, with more Captain's Cup wins at Cowes Week than anyone in the history of the class, his presence on the start line was a real boost to the week's racing.
Day by day
Wednesday 24 June opened in light airs, and the Race Officer did well to get a single race away. It went to Astralita, sailed by John Tremlett and crewed by septuagenarians Tim Copsy and Fraser Graham.
Thursday 25 June brought glorious sunshine and two races. XOD Class Captain Rory Paton's X161 Mayfly, crewed by Amanda Paton and Tim Hire, took the first of the day, before Astralita took the second, with Tom Vernon's X3 Silhouette, crewed by Adam Bowers and Oliver Spensley-Corfield, pushing hard throughout.
Friday 26 June saw the wind return to something more traditional for Lymington — a warm but lively South Westerly in the high teens, gusting to 25 knots. Astralita won the first race of the day, with X162 Sans Peur III (Christian Sutherland, Alex Hayman and Etienne) second. Silhouette took the second race, and Sans Peur III was runner-up again — a good showing from a boat launched only the week before.
Saturday 27 June was the long race, out to Christchurch Ledge. The forecast promised building breeze, but the famously unpredictable British weather had other ideas. The fleet started in an ebb tide, and those who found the deeper water were first out of the Solent. The wind never properly filled in, forcing a finish at the Christchurch Ledge buoy to stay inside the time limit. Silhouette took the win, followed by class legend and stalwart James Meaning in X156 Gleam. It was a long sail home.
Sunday 28 June closed the regatta with a brisk finale — 18 knots gusting 24, wind against tide — and two races were sailed. Astralita won the first, with X117 X-Ray — sailed by Lymington Division Vice-Captain James Markby with David Bedford and Ruairi Grimes crewing — second and X178 Beatrix, helmed by Eddie Warren Owen, third. The day's eventful second race went to Astralita once more, sealing the overall title.
Overall, consistency told. Astralita finished on 12 points to take the regatta, with Silhouette second on 19 and Rory Paton's Mayfly third on 23.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | Helm | Division | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 91 | Astralita | John Tremlett | Itchenor | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| 2 | 3 | Silhouette | Tom Vernon | Lymington | 2 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 19 |
| 3 | 161 | Mayfly | Rory Paton | Lymington | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 23 |
| 4 | 117 | X‑Ray | James Markby | Lymington | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 31 |
| 5 | 162 | Sans Peur Iii | Alex Hayman | Lymington | 5 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 46 |
| 6 | 195 | Turtle | Jonathan Clark | Lymington | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 51 |
| 7 | 82 | Magic Dragon | Andy Oddie | Lymington | 8 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 55 |
| 8 | 156 | Gleam | James Meaning | Yarmouth | 13 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 58 |
| 9 | 178 | Beatrix | Eddie Warren Owen | Lymington | 16 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 3 | 13 | 60 |
| 10 | 165 | Tortoise | Barry Dunning | Lymington | 10 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 10 | 69 |
| 11 | 72 | Venus | Nik Froud | Lymington | 4 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 12 | DNC | DNC | DNC | 79 |
| 12 | 33 | Clair de Lune | Shaun Priestley | Lymington | 17 | RET | 14 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 8 | DNS | 79 |
| 13 | 8 | Ann Ex | Martin Sellars | Lymington | 3 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 10 | DNC | DNC | 80 |
| 14 | 146 | Caprice | Hamish Calder | Hamble | 6 | 13 | 17 | RET | DNC | 7 | 10 | 8 | 72 |
| 15 | 18 | Nefertiti | Mike Hobby | Lymington | 12 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 95 |
| 16 | 119 | Lone Star | Andy Roberts | Lymington | 18 | 8 | 12 | 9 | DNC | 9 | DNC | DNC | 102 |
| 17 | 170 | Oyster | Fenella Lees | Lymington | 11 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 17 | DNC | DNC | 114 |
| 18 | 142 | Dolce Vita | Nick Nell | Lymington | 20 | RET | 19 | 19 | DNC | 16 | 14 | 12 | 121 |
| 19 | 73 | Zephyr | Ian Mackie | Lymington | DNC | 18 | 20 | 18 | DNC | 18 | 15 | RET | 128 |
| 20 | 34 | Mersa | Eric Williams | Lymington | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 129 |
| 21 | 5 | Madcap | James & Julia Harrison | Lymington | 19 | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 157 |
| 22 | 76 | Myrtle | Cordelia Ellis | Yarmouth | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 161 |
Trophy winners:
- King George V Silver Jubilee Challenge Cup (Whitaker Cup) — overall winner of XOD Week: Fraser Graham, Tim Copsy & John Tremlett, X91 Astralita
- Wade Cup — runner-up: Tom Vernon, X3 Silhouette
- Skedadler Trophy — third overall: Rory & Amanda Paton, X161 Mayfly
- Lymington XOD Week Cup — highest-placed Lymington boat outside the top three: James Markby, X117 X-Ray
- Gerald Gray Cup — highest-placed visiting boat outside the top three: James Meaning, X156 Gleam
- XOD Week Club Handicap — Mike & Sian Hobby, X18 Nefertiti, winners of the separately scored club handicap series.
With thanks
The Division thanks the week's sponsors for their support: title sponsor Steele Raymond, the Lymington law firm offering a range of legal services, together with Sanders Sails, Square Mile Gin and Force 4 Chandlery. Thanks also to the Royal Lymington Yacht Club race team and volunteers, and to everyone who took part.