Autumn Series Race 4 - Solo Report

Published 12:42 on 27 Sep 2026

Held just after a low water spring tide in a light Force 2 southerly light breeze, the Solo fleet assembled at the East Portlemouth end of the starting line, under the watchful eye of Race Officer Andy Savell.

The sailors who had picked up that a lull in the wind would make it hard to weather the building flood tide by being at the line on time fared best, with Simon Yates winning the start from David Greening and Simon Dobson.

Dobson led around Blackstone and down the run to Saltstone, with Greening overhauling Yates.  Upon rounding Dobson and Greening headed to Halwell Point, whilst Yates headed toward Dendridge on the opposite shore.

By Ox Point Yates fed into a comfortable second place behind Dobson, both crossed to Snapes, but Yates crossed back earlier to Ditch End to take the lead.

The second lap indicated a rounding of mark 2, Yates failed to observe this until Dobson sportingly hailed his mistake whilst rounding the mark in the lead, which he maintained to the finish, with Yates taking second and Greening third.

Returnee Mark Waterhouse secured fourth place after a good battle with Mike Hodges, neither recovering from a slow start.

By D Greening | Photos L.Burn