2026 Noble Marine RS100 National Championships at Brixham Yacht Club

2026 Noble Marine RS100 National Championships © Tome Wild

Twenty-two RS100s were welcomed by Brixham Yacht Club's friendly volunteers to the English Riviera for what was to be a closely fought championship. The bookies had made their predictions, but with strong offshore winds forecast, there was plenty of potential for upsets.

Day one brought sunshine and 15-20 knots for the opening two races of the championship. In race one, it was Smart (5/1) who managed to capitalise on a large right shift to lead at the first mark, while many of the favourites struggled to make it back from the left-hand side of the course. Unfortunately, this lead was short-lived, with a large squall flattening Smart and most of those in the top five on the run. This left the door open for heavy-weather specialist Powell (3/1) to take the win from Green (16/1), who had managed a strong performance despite a slipping main halyard. Thankfully, for a battered and bruised fleet, the wind abated fractionally for the second race, and the fleet did a better job of staying upright. This time, it was Wakefield (7/4) who took the bullet, followed by Green and Bowhay (10/1).

After racing, the fleet gathered in the clubhouse for an evening of fish and chips. This was followed by the very welcome return of Brixham's famous pig racing, where the fleet traded gambling on the 20-degree shifts out on the racecourse for Temu electric pigs. Prizes kindly donated by our sponsors Harken, Allen, West Country Boat Repairs, and Rooster added to the excitement.

Day two dawned with a forecast of slightly less wind from a direction further to the south-west and the potential for four races due to an unfavourable forecast for later in the week. On the racecourse, it was to be Green's day, with two bullets and a second extending his day-one lead. Jones (6/1) also put in a strong performance after a slow day one. With bodies in tatters, the fleet was relieved that only three races were run and was especially lucky to have Commodore Richard Spreckley up to his chest, ready to catch and drag them up the slipway.

Day three, despite an ominous forecast and knackered legs, the fleet once more left the shelter of Brixham Harbour for the penultimate day of the championship. However, once on the water, the fleet was greeted by an increasingly fresh breeze and the spectacle of watching the RS300s and RS600s try to finish their race. With the wind speed reaching levels best measured in "number of broken RS600 rigs" (the number being three), racing was canned for the day, and the fleet headed for shore. Some took this as an opportunity for an exhilarating kite run in, with Johnson (40/1) experiencing a particularly spectacular wipeout, while others were simply happy to make it back intact With a free afternoon, some of the fleet headed for the Crazy Golf Masters, while others caught up on much-needed sleep. The fleet then gathered in the evening for an excellent Indian buffet put on by Brixham Yacht Club, who were keen to ensure wind for the final day of the championship despite a bleak forecast.

The final day brought a change of pace, with light winds forecast. Going into the final day, it was Green in yellow, Wakefield in blue, and Jones in red. Would Green be able to hold onto this lead, or would the change in conditions open the door for a new leader? Bullets in the first two races went to Wakefield and Smart, while Jones and Bowhay tussled for third place overall in the championship.

The final race of the championship brought a change to the pecking order, with Bucknall (40/1) leading at the first mark after a late left shift. With the wind dying, the second upwind resembled snakes and ladders, with Jones unfortunate enough to land on perhaps the largest snake of them all. At the finish, it was Wakefield, Bowhay, and then Sleep (25/1), despite having to replace his mainsail and sail a boat that had been holed in an incident earlier in the week. Unfortunately, Jones was left marooned at the windward mark as the wind died in the later stages of the race.

Despite a tense final day, it was Green who had secured the championship on 12 points, followed by Wakefield on 13 and Bowhay on 16 - a reflection of just how close the racing had been. Elsewhere, Jones (4th) won the Master's Trophy, Trickett the Fidelis Trophy, and Bucknall the Endeavour Trophy. Other honourable mentions must go to Dave Smart for managing to win the Duckhams Award every day, a booby prize worn around his neck after each day of sailing..

Thanks must also go to the army of sailing club volunteers, as well as Sally Campbell, for whom it was her last Nationals as RS100 Class Representative - the fleet wishes her all the best for the future!

The 2027 RS100 National Championships will be hosted by South Caernarvonshire YC, Abersoch, on 8-12 September, and with championship-ready boats available on the second-hand market for under £2,500, who wouldn't want to join in the fun? As Green put it in his championship speech, the 100 fleet was the friendliest fleet he had ever come across.

Overall Results: