Thrilling Mid-June Keelboat Race at Bembridge Sailing Club in 2026 Challenges Favorite Sailors

With fifteen knots coming from the West, the conditions for sailing on Saturday were promising. The starting line was teeming with anticipation as five Redwings and four One-Designs took their positions for this highly awaited face-off east of Under Tyne. Despite an unexpected 20-degree wind shift, the first Redwings’ race went ahead, providing a nail-biting spectacle.

Oliver Morgan in ‘Prawn’ took to the inshore side and closely followed Tara’s tracks, steered by the relentless Bruce Huber. The first round ended rather abruptly due to the weakening wind, leaving Bruce victorious, followed by Oliver, Rory, Xander, and Robin. The wind pattern changes continued to test the sailors, making the competition more exciting.

Not to be outdone, the four One-Designs showed great promise, with Mark G in No 9 leading the charge. Despite the disadvantage of having only a storm jib onboard, Mark Hodgkinson in No1 held his ground against formidable opponents like Richard Coleman in No 10 and Tad Ross in No 8.

This race indeed proved to be a mid-June adrenaline rush, demonstrating the dynamism and unpredictability of keelboat racing.