Camel Week 2026 at Rock Sailing and Waterski Club
by Roger Deane 9 Sep 09:42 BST
20-27 August 2026
The Greenfield Family - Camel Week at Rock © RSWSC
The Camel Week regatta is open to most dinghy classes and catamarans, and the 2026 edition was sponsored by the Point and supported by St Austell Brewery. The regatta also celebrated the launch of the Club's new committee boat 'Lilly Mae' which is an 8-meter catamaran.
In mixed races the cats and dinghies sail the same shaped course but with separate marks for the two fleets. Perfect conditions greeted the fleets for the first race, sailing a starboard hand 'P' course which incorporated sailing in Hawkers Cove and the mouth of the Estuary.
The dinghy race was dominated by Matt Johnston and Amelia Barnet in their RS400 with Russel Mead in an ILCA 6 coming second. In the cat fleet Ed Chisholm, in one of the ten Hobie 16s sailing, took the win with Jums Greaves and Alice Calder not far behind in second.
The Renovation Trophy, traditionally the second race of Camel Week is a pursuit race for which cats and dinghies both compete for. With the wind freshening slightly after the start, led off with the Fusions, it was always going to be a day favouring the later starters. Leading at the end of the time limit was Matt Greefield in a 2000. Matt sailed with a different son or daughter in each race, and he would have had either Arthur, Henry or Jemima with him for this victory! The leading catamaran a Hobie 16, was sailed by Jums Greaves and Alice Calder.
The Porthilly Cup and Rush Highfliers Trophy are the prizes up for grabs for dinghies and cats respectively for race 3, with honours again going to Matt Greenfield in the dinghies with Huw Willetts in a K1 second. Ed Chisholm led home the Cats with Owen and Martha Cox in their Dart 18 second.
On the fourth day the wind was up, and PRO Martin Hough decided that at 25 knots plus it was too windy for the mixed ability dinghy fleet to race, but that the Cats could give it a go! As so often happens the wind had abated a little but still served up some meaty gusts for the cat fleet to deal with. The Dart 18 ridden by the Cox's blew round the triangular course to take the win from Jums and Alice in their Hobie 16. All fleets enjoyed a BBQ on the Quay in the evening sunshine.
It was still windy for Day 5 in which the dinghy fleet had a race to make up and in a strong S/SE breeze gusting over 20 knots a trapezoidal course was laid for both fleets. In the first race, the Gentle Jane Cup Richard and Milly Bullock in an RS200 took the win from veteran sailor Patrick Lyon in his Weta.
Back-to-back came the Rock Trophy for the dinghies, and in slightly less wind was won by the RS400 of Matt and Amelia with Huw in his K1 in second. The cat fleet again enjoyed champagne conditions with 2 long reaches to enjoy for their 5th race, which was for the Camel Silver Salver, which was won by Jums and Alice followed by Ed, both in Hobie 16s.
The final race of the week was the Commodore's Cup, again a pursuit. Conditions were light and the course was set over the shallower waters South of Daymer Bay in order to minimise the tidal effect.
The breeze went up and down over the race time but in the end, Russel Mead held off the quickies to take a well-deserved win with the Bullocks in their RS200 second. The cats starting late were always going to struggle particularly against the more agile dinghy fleet, however leading the cat fleet home was Joe Nesbit in his Hobie 16 followed by Ed Chisolm.
Overall dinghy honours for Camel Week and the Camel Trophy went to Richard and Milly Bullock in the RS200 and in the in the cats it was Ed Chisholm with a variety of crews taking overall honours and the Gunn Cup.
This was again a great family week's sailing with 'something for everyone' served up. Thanks again go to our sponsor the Point, who awarded generous voucher prizes for meals, golf and other activities at the Point to the top ten dinghies and top 3 cats over the week and to St Austell Brewery who made sure all competitors (over 18!) took away a small supply of their products!
We do it all again next year between 13th and 18th August - please come and join in the fun.