Pwllheli Autumn Challenge Series 2026 - Overall
by Vicky Cox 2 Nov 11:14 GMT
1 November 2026
Pwllheli Sailing Club's Autumn Series reached its finale over the weekend of 31 October-1 November, with four races in Tremadog Bay delivering champagne sailing, changing fortunes and some exceptionally close corrected times.
Saturday began much as everyone expected: with very little wind. Race Officer Robin Evans hoisted AP for a one-hour postponement, leaving the fleet waiting for the breeze. When it arrived, however, the patience paid off, providing another excellent day's racing.
Race 13 sent competitors around two laps via the Firmhelm boatyard mark. Peter Dunlop and Victoria Cox's Mojito Mojito set the pace, taking line honours and the IRC overall win, with Mojito Bach, skippered by Heather Griffiths, second. Behind them, Will Partington's Andromeda and Robert Morris&Emma Hattersley's Erasmus could not be separated on corrected time, sharing third overall with an identical 56 minutes 17 seconds.
The second race offered a longer tour of the bay, including the Jac y Do and Tudor Estate Agents marks. Mojito completed a successful Saturday with another line-honours and IRC overall victory. Erasmus took second, followed by Andromeda, while Mojito Bach, this time helmed by Arwen Fflur, secured another IRC2 win.
Sunday's forecast hinted at 18-21 knots following a light start, but once again the fleet enjoyed champagne sailing, with conditions predominantly around 7-15 knots. The northerly breeze brought plenty of shifts, keeping crews alert and making the final two races a tactical test.
Stephen Tudor and Mark Thompson's J70 Sgrech Bach joined the action in race 15 which took competitors via the S&S Tyres and Partington Marine marks. Erasmus was first across the finish line but once handicaps were applied, however, Andromeda claimed the IRC overall victory, 48 seconds ahead of Mojito Bach. Erasmus took third, just two seconds behind Mojito Bach on corrected time.
The series finale featured repeated visits to the S&S Tyres mark and another close contest. Mojito took line honours, but Mojito Bach secured the IRC overall win by 33 seconds from Erasmus. Just one further second separated Erasmus from Mojito, giving Erasmus the IRC1 victory by the narrowest of margins. Sgrech Bach finished fourth overall and second in IRC2.
With three different IRC overall winners across the four races, the final weekend provided a fitting finish to the Autumn Series: rewarding sailing, tactical challenges and results decided by seconds.
Sixteen races were sailed over four weekends, with four discards. Mojito won the series on IRC with 14 points and ten race wins, and also won on YTC. Mojito Bach was second on both, 24 points on IRC, even though she missed the first weekend: those four races are her discards. She won IRC2 in all 12 races she sailed.
Andromeda was third overall, with Erasmus fourth, Paul&Sam Kitteringham's Finally fifth, Sgrech Bach sixth and Geoff&Hannah Duffton-Kelly's Crackajack seventh. In IRC1, Mojito won ahead of Andromeda and Erasmus; in IRC2, Mojito Bach won ahead of Sgrech Bach 2nd. Results are provisional, as published on 1 November.
Every start and finish this weekend was caught on the hut camera, and the finish videos are linked from each boat's line in the full results.
Thank you to Robin Evans and the race management team for delivering the racing, and to our racing mark sponsors for their continued support: Partington Marine — mark 1; Firmhelm boatyard — mark 2; Tudor Estate Agents — mark 3; Jac y Do — mark 6; and S&S Tyres — mark 7.
The racers will be out again on the 14th&15th November for the start of the Pwllheli winter series. With longer legs it's ideal for those with less crew and with YTC scoring, everyone is welcome. See www.pwllhelisailingclub.co.uk/club-sections/racing