Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week 2026 Championship Summary
Published 12:05 on 11 Jul 2026
The 2026 Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week at Salcombe Yacht Club delivered everything competitors have come to expect from one of the most unique and demanding events on the Merlin Rocket calendar. Six days of glorious sunshine, warm temperatures and predominantly light, fickle winds created a championship where patience, local knowledge and tactical decision-making proved every bit as important as outright boat speed.
From the opening gun on Sunday, the week quickly established its theme. General recalls, black flags, weed-covered foils, disappearing breezes and ever-changing pressure lines ensured that no race was straightforward. Whether negotiating Halwell Woods, threading through the Bag, escaping Ditch End or gambling on the Town or Portlemouth shore, every race presented a fresh tactical puzzle.
Although the conditions rarely produced classic hiking weather until later in the week, they delivered some of the closest and most unpredictable racing seen in recent years. Huge gains and losses were commonplace, with boats regularly climbing or dropping ten or more places in the space of a single leg. Slack tides, shifting breeze directions and frequent park-ups rewarded crews able to stay patient and keep their boats moving in almost imperceptible patches of pressure.
Several teams enjoyed race victories across the week, reflecting the depth of talent throughout the fleet. Caroline Gould and Livvy Bell produced consistently strong performances in the lighter conditions, while Jenny Dodds and Pippa Kilsby combined excellent boat speed with smart tactical decisions to remain firmly in championship contention throughout. Mike and Jayne Calvert, Christian Hamilton and Sam, Will and Arthur Henderson, Chris Gould and Sophie Mackley, James Goss and Chris White and many others all featured prominently as the leaderboard continually evolved.
At the front of the fleet, however, one partnership repeatedly demonstrated why they remain one of the benchmark teams in Merlin Rocket racing. Tom Gillard and Rachel Gray showed remarkable consistency across every type of challenge Salcombe presented. Even when poor starts, adverse shifts or unfavourable positions briefly left them on the back foot, they repeatedly found a route back through the fleet, making decisive gains through superior tactical judgement and flawless boat handling. Their calm approach under pressure became one of the defining features of the championship.
The middle of the week proved especially testing as extremely light winds compressed the fleet, with races often decided by whichever boats discovered the next patch of pressure first. The introduction of stronger south-westerly breezes later in the regatta finally allowed the fleet to stretch its legs, providing longer legs across the harbour and rewarding crews prepared to commit to bold strategic decisions.
Black flags also played a significant role throughout the championship, with numerous competitors falling foul of the starting discipline required in such tidal, light-air conditions. Twenty-five black flag disqualifications during Thursday morning alone underlined just how competitive—and unforgiving—the racing had become.
By the final day, the overall championship remained alive. Jenny Dodds and Pippa Kilsby entered the last race with a genuine opportunity to overhaul Tom Gillard and Rachel Gray, setting up a fitting finale on a spectators' course overlooked by the Salcombe Yacht Club terrace. In front of a large crowd, Tom and Rachel once again delivered when it mattered most, sailing confidently to the front and securing both the race and the overall championship with another composed performance.
Jenny Dodds and Pippa Kilsby capped an outstanding regatta by finishing second overall after pushing the eventual champions all the way, while Caroline Gould and Livvy Bell secured third overall following an exceptionally consistent week. Dave Winder and Beka Jones narrowly missed out on the podium after another strong championship.
Beyond the results, Helly Hansen Merlin Rocket Week 2026 will be remembered for its sunshine, close racing and uniquely Salcombe challenges. Every race demanded tactical brilliance, adaptability and resilience, while the welcoming atmosphere ashore and outstanding organisation from Salcombe Yacht Club, Salcombe Harbour Authority and the event's sponsors once again demonstrated why Merlin Rocket Week remains one of the highlights of the sailing calendar.
As competitors gathered on the Yacht Club terrace for the final prize-giving, the championship provided a fitting celebration of 80 years of Merlin Rocket sailing. Congratulations go to Tom Gillard and Rachel Gray on another deserved title, to all the daily race winners and prize recipients, and to every competitor who contributed to another memorable week of racing in Salcombe.
More MRW Photos can be viewed - HERE
