Albacore Southern Championship 2026 at Lyme Regis Sailing Club
by Allan Tyler 4 Aug 19:35 BST
1-2 August 2026
Albacore Southern Championship at Lyme Regis © Phil Rydin-Orwin
The Albacore Southern Area Championship got under way in spectacular fashion at Lyme Regis Sailing Club, with a stunning Friday evening Town Regatta firework display lighting up the harbour and providing the perfect welcome for competitors arriving for the weekend.
Saturday morning saw eight visitors and seven local boats launch into a gentle Force 2-3 SW breeze. As the day unfolded, the wind steadily built into a classic Lyme Regis Force 4, delivering the champagne sailing conditions everyone had hoped for. Bright sunshine and rolling waves which made for an unforgettable day's racing.
After three races, there was only a few points between the first 3 boats and hence the championship was still wide open. However, the fleet was pleased to get ashore and rest some tired bodies and enjoy the Club bar and BBQ.
The two races on Sunday were sailed in much lighter southerly F1-2 wind which reshuffled the pack, allowing some of the lighter crews (Cameron/Isla & Simon/Rhys) to come to the front of the fleet.
Lyme Bay once again provided a superb championship arena, testing every crew while rewarding consistency and boat speed. The fleet enjoyed close and competitive racing throughout, with every gust and shift demanding sharp tactical decisions and slick teamwork.
Congratulations go to Allan & Chris Tyler (Albacore 8236), who produced a consistent series to take the Southern Area Championship with 5 points. Second place went to Paul Gimson & Helen Baines (7912) on 14 points, with Charles Davenport & Mark Fowler (8264) completing the podium on 15 points after a closely fought championship.
A huge thank you goes to the race management team, safety boat crews, volunteers and everyone at Lyme Regis Sailing Club for delivering another first-class championship. This sets the benchmark for next years Albacore Internationals which are being held at Lyme Regis from July 10-17 2027.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Crew | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 8236 | Allan Tyler | Chrissie | 1 | ‑4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2 | 7912 | Paul Gimson | Helen Baines | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ‑10 | 14 |
| 3 | 8264 | Charles Devenport | Mark Fowler | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | (RET) | 15 |
| 4 | 8075 | Dave Stubbs | Ed Stubbs | 4 | ‑6 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 16 |
| 5 | 8266 | Matthew Thompson | Heather Thompson | ‑11 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 18 |
| 6 | 8209 | Cameron Moss | TBC | 7 | ‑10 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 19 |
| 7 | 8131 | Simon Law | | 8 | (BFD) | 12 | 2 | 3 | 25 |
| 8 | 7987 | Richard Smith | Annissa Baines | 9 | 7 | 5 | ‑13 | 7 | 28 |
| 9 | 8128 | Jake Stow | Ian Wallace | 5 | ‑12 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 28 |
| 10 | 7989 | Joss Kent | | 6 | 8 | 10 | ‑15 | 13 | 37 |
| 11 | 8237 | Matthew Mercalfe‑Smith | Jason Upton | 10 | 3 | 11 | 14 | (DNC) | 38 |
| 12 | 6654 | Clive Gimson | Tim NORMAN | ‑13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 39 |
| 13 | 8001 | Andy Robinson | | 12 | ‑14 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 42 |
| 14 | 8235 | Stephen Swinchatt | Helen MacVean | ‑14 | 11 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 44 |
| 15 | 8263 | Stephen Bailey | Jeremy Wallace | ‑15 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 51 |