The 2026 BCYC Pursuit Race was held on Sunday 9th August in full sunshine and with a frisky 15 knot breeze, topping out at closer to 20 knots, providing for some exhilarating racing.
A record 34 boats entered including a Laser 4.7, 2 Fevas, a whole family aboard an Omega, 5 Ospreys, 11 Dart18s and a whole array of yachts, with 31 making it to the start line. The previous high was 21 boats in 2024.
The sight of so many boats of different shapes and sizes proved quite spectacular. Monohulls and multihulls, boats with one mast and one with two masts, boats with 1, 2, 3 and even 4 sails
For many, the heroes of the day were Oliver (Laser 4.7), Chloe & Flow and Seren & Aggie (RS Feva) who were among the first to start and sailed like demons for nearly 2 and a half hours, whilst being pursued by the faster, later starters.
Going into the final half an hour, with the handicap unwinding, there were still about 10 boats in with a chance – 1 mistake or a capsize could easily have sent the leaders to the back of the fleet.
A thrilling last half a lap saw Colin Jenkins and Chris Osborne make the right calls, steadily pulling ahead of the fleet to secure victory. With a further 6 boats on the same leg, not only was it the biggest BCYC Pursuit Race on record, but also one of the closest.
Results:
1st Colin Jenkins and Chris Osborne, Dart18 Sailwave
2nd Paul Jenkins and Cathy Blakemore, Dart18 Depthcharge Ethel
3rd Alex Shaw and Ricjard Woffinden, Osprey, All White Now
1st BCYC Boat Colin Jenkins and Chris Osborne, Dart18 Sailwave
1st Youth Cloe and Flow, RS Feva
Thank you…
To the race management team of Alyson Nicholson, Paul Nicholson and Martin Stephens.
To our wonderful safety and support crew, including on board photographers.
To our shoreside team who counted them out and counted them back, kept us fed and kept us “watered”.
And to our 2026 Sponsors, UHP Systems Ltd, Anchem Analytical and John Morse Solicitors, Swansea.
We couldn’t do it without you.
Photographs from the day:
Presentation and photos from the shore courtesy of Simon Edwards https://adobe.ly/4z8y2Xx
On the water photos from Karen Frayne and Sophie Hathaway: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fgfU8JMCM6zGTpgF9