Solo Western Championship 2025 A Fitting Finale at Salcombe

Published 13:37 on 15 Oct 2025

The Salcombe Brewery Solo Open Meeting, hosted by Salcombe Yacht Club, brought the curtain down on the 2025 Western Series in classic estuary style — sunshine, shifting breezes, and a fleet of 31 Solos battling tide and topography in one of Britains most scenic sailing venues.

Saturdays light easterly tested patience and precision, with local knowledge proving invaluable. Tim Fells showed his class to win Race 1 ahead of a tight pack led by Simon Dobson and Tim Law, while Oliver Meadowcroft mastered the shifts to take Race 2 and end the day on top form. The evening saw sailors swap tillers for pints as Salcombe Yacht Club hosted a lively curry night, complete with laughter, speeches, and plenty of Salcombe Brewery hospitality.

Sunday dawned brighter and breezier, the north-easterly filling to a steady 1012 knots. Paul Jacobs from Starcross SC stormed to victory in Race 3, showcasing blistering boatspeed in the freshening breeze. But all eyes were on the duel between Law and Fells, two Solo heavyweights trading tacks up the harbour walls in the final race. Laws precision paid off — taking the win, the series, and the Western Area Championship title in style.

Final results:
 Tim Law  (2,13,2,1)
 Tim Fells  (1,3,3,DNF)
 Simon Dobson  (3,2,6,4)
First Visitor: Paul Jacobs (Starcross SC)
First Lady: Emily Hoar
First Junior: Harry Marlow

From the rich Solo history of Salcombe to the fierce yet friendly racing on the water, this event had it all — skill, drama, and a touch of nostalgia. A heartfelt thanks to P+B, Dinghy Shack, and

Salcombe Brewery for their generous support, and to Salcombe Yacht Club for another unforgettable weekend of sailing.

Read the full report online: Solo Western Championship 2025 Full Story