2026 Hartley Boats Contender National Championship at Mount's Bay Sailing Club

by Thomas Hooton 14 Sep 12:00 BST 3-6 September 2026

The 2026 International Contender Nationals Championship was held between the 3rd to the 6th of September at the picture-perfect Mount's Bay Sailing Club. The backdrop of St Michael's Mount, a constant eye-catcher throughout the event.

The event was happily shared with the Osprey fleet who made the bar cosy and the starts longer and more frequent than they could have been.

Competitors started to arrive on evening before the event into the massive field set aside for the boats, we were greeted by the friendly local volunteers and club members as they started their working holiday.

The bar was full, a sign of things to come, as the class welcomed 3 new sailors and a visiting Aussie late into the evening, A Commodore's reception and briefing about a long-anticipated visit to the mount was videoed for the benefit of anyone not yet arrived.

Day 1

Firstly, the long-anticipated visit to the mount was cancelled. A decent onshore wind and conditions seemingly looking good for those with smaller calorie intakes, a possible 6-10 knots blowing the competitors left the beach and waited while the race officer got the course laid out in the tradition manner. As we admired the 3 or 4th Osprey start (I forget) a thick fog descended on the course creating a vivid Nosferatu feel, no more Mount could be seen and no other boats further that 20ft away.

As the Contender took their turn to start it was hard to tell which end was paying because you could not see it, luckily a massive shift halfway up the beat cleared that one up. Rounding first, Gary Langdown took an early lead having tacked off earlier than a lot of the fleet and made his way to the right-hand side of the course. Gary was followed round the windward mark by Adrain Smith, Graeme Willcox, James Spikesly and Local Tom Kliskey, this pack took it in turns to pretend to know where the next mark was. The lighter conditions started to pick up toward the tail of the race, and I imagine these stayed together for safety until the finish, Graeme took the line honours followed by Gary then Adrian. local Tom took an impressive 5th in his first ever nationals race.

Talk of another race was quashed as the safety boats could not see if anyone needed rescue so we were sent back to the beach, or we would have if we knew where it was. The boats were corralled like sheep and then escorted back like school children on a trip to a pencil museum. Many a tall tale of what occurred in the mists of Mount's Bay escalated in the bar as the club handed out pasties. Bram Stoker would have been horrified.

Day 2

This day promised wind, but we would accept vision. The fleet made their way out to the race area with the wind still coming over the land in a patchy, shifty pattern that appeared random but after a while felt like listening to average Jazz. It was a very grey day, and the racing was entertaining. The first of three races got under way with a slight port bias at the start, which became a huge port bias just after the start, Ed Presley seem to be the only one who noticed and was able to cross the fleet, we never saw him again. Stuart Jones got his borrowed kit and his borrowed boat going and managed to hit the front of the fleet, Graeme Willcox managed to shake of a bad start to work his way back into second giving Stuart Jones a handy 3rd place. There was then a long wait in-between the races and we marvelled again at the Osprey practice starts. Race two got under way and it was Ben Holden who crossed the fleet this time, he led with Ed Presley and Graeme Wilcox in pursuit. Graeme blasted through to first on the reaches established a small lead closely followed by Ed Presley who was still showing good pace with Tom Hooton following in 3rd, these to three pulled away frow the pack.

With the wind having swung slightly for race three, it was coming more off the land creating some buttock moistening lulls, Average Jazz had turned into Prog rock with no discernible structure or logic. Of course, in this nonsense, it was Stuart Jones who picked his way up the beat to round the windward mark in first position, but once again it was the fast Graeme that was chasing him down and manged to get through on the downwind with Tom Hooton managing to pick his way through into 3rd place. The fleet de-oceaned and enjoyed free Contender beer in the boat park as has become tradition.

So, after four championship races Graeme Willcox was in a healthy with five points with Tom Hooton in second with 19 points and Stuart Jones and Gary Langdown not far behind on 22 points both gunning for the critical Grand master prize. The competitors then enjoyed a lovely lasagne and went to their AGM at the Town Hall where they discussed the upcoming Weymouth worlds in 2028. They decide it was good idea.

Day 3

The competitors woke to glorious sunshine and the bay looking glassy calm so there was a leisurely morning waiting for the wind, eating Cornish ice cream. With three races scheduled it was starting to look unlikely, The RO decided that we would launch and hope, he turned out to be right as an 8-9 Knot breeze developed, this plus bright sunshine and in a scenic location made it pleasant sailing. It was no surprise to see Graeme Wilcox leading followed closely by Tom Hooton and Gary Langdown. On the second-round David Davies picked the right way going hard left to come through into second position followed by Stuart Jones and Nathan McGory having the best race of his series. It was nip and tuck in the much more stable breeze.

The second race was a bit of a change again with the sausage to be sailed before the triangle which felt all sorts of wrong, again Graeme and Tom made good starts near the committee boat and were one and two at the top mark closely followed by Adrain Smith and Nathan McGory. Gary Langdown worked his sea magic to wrestle his way into 3rd spot down the run behind Graeme and Tom. Adrian and Nathan went low on the run to get to the right-hand gate, just feeling that it would pay, as it had in previous race and it did! Adrian using it to maximum effect to take a race victory followed by Graeme Willcox and Gary Langdown managed to make going right pay to maintain 3rd spot.

The competitors were then sent in, much to the annoyance of the Mr Langdown who was just getting into his groove. So, we lost another race, and it was all very tight between 2nd and 4th with a potential three more races to sail. Mr Jones of Bracknell moving into second with Gary just behind in third and Tom dropping down to 4th. We had to concede that Graeme had run away with it and it would take a baseball bat to stop him. The club laid on a Curry night, followed the comedy styling of Ed Presley in his review of the year spot prizes.

Day 4

The wind was up when the competitors awoke and the reach out to the start line seemed promising that we would surf around a bit.

It's the hope that kills you, and so it did, the wind died to just a smidge above not much, but as we waited to start and after a general recall on our first attempt (which bought out a black flag, as the RO was, by now, sick of us) it was noticeable that the wind was starting to fill back in. Finally, a clean start with marginal trapezing developed into half then full wiring by the top mark, Simon Mussell appeared at the front in clear air that was now fresh enough to show the speed we are all used to seeing him produce, again it was Graeme who made the reaches work in the rolling waves and took the lead early in the race followed by Simon. Stuart Jones and David Davis gained ground by keeping on the wire in the lulls. Gary Langdown, James Spikesly and Tom Hooton battled behind down the same two reaches with James dropping it in at the wing mark and Tom managing to get over Gary before the leeward mark. up the next beat Graeme began to extend followed by Simon. All but these two were gazumped by Gary as he was the only person able to figure out the wave pattern on the run. The end of the race it had turned out Stuart was dirty cheat with a BFD which effectively handed Gary 2nd place.

This meant it was all very tight for third (and critically fourth) between Stuart Jones and Tom Hooton. Stuart was in the end saved from the glory of writing the report as his spawnyness return and the wind decided to shut down so after a bit of drifting around the race officer decided to call it a day. This left Graeme the clear winner with Gary Langdown having a good day to move into second, Stuart just managed to hang on to third on countback leaving Tom 4th and Ed Presley 5th.

After a prize-giving in the club and rightfully cheering on Graeme, we concluded the 2026 championships. Mount's Bay Sailing Club have been stellar, always welcoming, a beautiful venue run by enthusiastic volunteers. The Contender fleet had a brilliant event. Thanks also to our perennial sponsor, Hartley boats, North sails, Kingfisher ropes, Essex rigging and Allen.

2027 will take us east to Thorpe Bay Yacht Club home stalwart Contender sailor Chris Boshier and Essex Rigging.

January 2027 takes the UK container to the worlds in Adelaide; there are still places for those that want to join us for Contender heaven.

We will also visit northern France for the 2027 Europeans and of course, the World Championship comes to Weymouth and Portland in July 2028

Overall Results:
If you finished in the top ten at the Contender nationals then enter your Gear Guide information

Pos	Sail No	Helm	Club	Fleet	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	Pts	Prizes
1st	2787	Graeme Wilcox	Netley SC		1	‑2	1	1	1	2	1	7	ST
2nd	2484	Gary Langdown	Christchurch SC		2	5	7	‑8	5	3	3	25	GM
3rd	2706	Stuart Jones	Datchett Water SC		11	3	6	2	3	6	(OCS)	31	GM
4th	678	Tommy Hooton	Burton SC		6	‑7	3	3	6	7	6	31	ST
5th	2826	Ed Presley	Netley SC		‑19	1	2	10	8	10	5	36	ST
6th	2618	James Spikesley	Netley SC		4	9	‑10	9	7	5	7	41	M
7th	2383	David Davies	Loch Ryan SC	Silver	13	12	4	11	2	‑18	4	46	GM
8th	2730	Adrian Smith	Hythe SC		3	14	13	‑16	9	1	10	50	GM
9th	2420	Simon Mussell	Netley SC		‑23	8	11	6	17	12	2	56	ST
10th	2607	Carl Tagoe	Oxford SC		8	4	8	4	16	19	(OCS)	59	GM
11th	720	Nick Noble	Portishead SC		17	10	9	5	18	(DNF)	8	67	GM
12th	2315	Ben Holden	Halifax SC		7	6	5	(DNF)	19	23	9	69	ST
13th	2714	Martin Jones	Wilsonian SC	Silver	9	13	15	12	13	9	(DNF)	71	GM
14th	2589	Nathan McGory	Poole YC	Bronze	(DNF)	15	16	19	4	4	17	75	U33
15th	2710	James Daniels	Netley SC	Silver	10	‑21	12	17	11	16	13	79	U33
16th	2409	Richard Gimmler		Bronze	16	18	‑20	14	12	8	12	80	M
17th	2448	Stuart Backhouse	Mount's Bay SC	Bronze	14	17	‑19	15	14	13	11	84	M
18th	2422	Neil Ferguson	Yorkshire Dales SC	Bronze	‑27	20	18	13	15	14	15	95	GM
19th	2661	Nick Curry	Netley SC	Silver	15	19	‑24	18	10	20	14	96	GM
20th	2783	Chris Boshier	Thorpe Bay SC	Silver	20	11	14	7	20	25	(DNC)	97	ST
21st	625	Thomas Kliskey	Mount's Bay SC	Bronze	5	16	17	20	‑22	22	18	98	U33
22nd	659	Martin Metcalfe		Silver	12	22	22	‑24	24	17	16	113	GM
23rd	666	Bill Hooton	Burton SC	Bronze	25	26	21	(DNF)	23	15	DNF	141	GM
24th	2733	John Mclean	Australian Sailing	Bronze	22	25	26	23	25	‑27	20	141	GM
25th	2574	Nick Arran	Carsington SC	Bronze	21	24	25	25	‑26	26	22	143	GM
26th	611	Lawrence Head	Margate SC	Bronze	26	‑27	27	21	27	24	19	144	ST
27th	2522	Austin Jackson		Bronze	24	23	23	22	(DNC)	DNC	21	144	?
28th	2729	Chris Howe	Oxford SC	Silver	18	(DNF)	DNC	DNC	21	21	DNF	153	GM
29th	712	Rodger White	King George SC	Bronze	(DNC)	DNF	DNC	DNC	28	11	DNC	163	GM
30th	2449	Robert Smith	Castle Cove		(DNC)	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	DNC	186	GM