Results / Noble Marine National Championships Mounts Bay SC - 25/09/2025

Congratulations to our 2025 National Champion Nigel Wakefield from Netley SC and Lymington Town SC!

In a standout Championships at the iconic Mounts Bay Sailing Club, home of our new Class Chair Mostyn Evans and wonderfully organised by his wife Pippa, Nigel worked hard to claw back the lead from a strong early start by Chew's Andy Jones.

Congratulations to Nigel and to all of our prize winners and RS100 competitors - the biggest turnout for years, 27 boats racing! . 

Thanks to our PRO Marcus Wilkinson and all of the wonderful Mounts Bay volunteers from the tally team to the trolley team, the race and safety crews, the bar and galley teams and those working behind the scenes on results and organisation and of course Pippa, to our title sponsor Noble Marine and to our Official Chandlery partner the RS Sailing Store, as outgoing Class Chair, David Smart says "Mounts Bay is probably the most picturesque Sailing Club in the country and also the most friendly"

Full results and prize winners list below.

Photo gallery from Lee Whitehead, Photolounge here.  Come back in a week or so and you'll be able to search all the photos by sail number, making it easy for you to find your boat and order prints/files. 

Videos here, also by Photolounge, more, plus edited versions to follow.

Daily and overall reports below.

RS100s - Day 4 and Overall, by David Smart

After the wind and waves of Day 3, the sailors (and their tired limbs) were delighted to be greeted by a gentle Northerly breeze and sunshine. However, with the wind off the land, it was going to be shifty, which would reward those that kept their head out of the boat.

Race 1 saw a clear advantage to those that went left, with an enormous lift to the windward mark. That saw Leighton King first round, followed by Andy Jones and David Smart. Jaye Rickards was approaching in fourth but tried to tack into a non-existent gap and took some gelcoat off the side of Huw Powell’s boat. Oops! Nigel Wakefield came through on the run and on the next beat it was a closely fought battle tending to favour the boat on the left. However a port/starboard incident after a communication breakdown between the Chew boats of Jones and Smart led to a 360 for Smart who was then re-energised. At the finish Wakefield won followed by Smart ahead of Jones and King.

With the left having paid handsomely in Race 1, a number of boats tried to replicate the left is best approach. This included Clive Eplett who took the pin end – literally – by hitting it! He did his turn and ducked the fleet on port, only to delightedly discover that right was the way to go this time. He and Mark Harrison rounded first and second never to be challenged, with Alex Davies third and Steve Main fourth.

The fleet returned to the beach to find the welcome sight of trolleys waiting in order and a pasty to help the boat packing in the sunshine. Mounts Bay is probably the most picturesque Sailing Club in the country and also the most friendly.  The fleet thanks Mounts Bay SC for putting on such a wonderful championship and especially the PRO Marcus Wilkinson for delivering 9 cracking races.

Congratulations to Nigel Wakefield from Netley SC on becoming the RS100 2025 National Champion. He demonstrated great consistency in all conditions.

Second was Andy Jones from Chew Valley Lake SC followed by the strong wind specialist Huw Powell of Red Wharf/Netley who revelled in the Saturday conditions.

Silver fleet was won by Alex Davies (Netley) and the Ladies prize was taken by Maggie Ayre (Chew Valley Lake).

The next event on the National Tour is the Inland Championships at Chew Valley Lake SC on 8/9 November.

RS100s - Day 3 by Nigel Wakefield

Wow, what a day! This is why you come to Mount's Bay. "Epic" was the word most used. There were no sailors claiming to have sailed in bigger waves. Even the Race Officer got seasick.

Newbie Alex Davies powered through the mountainous rollers to take his maiden race win. He led a Netley SC charge, Netley taking the top 8 in the race. Nils flew the flag for the lightweights in 2nd, and Jeremy Troughton 3rd. There were only 15 finishers; notably, event leader Andrew Jones had a nasty capsize and failed to finish.

Mike Green and Huw "big boy" Powell had a good scrap in race two. The deciding moment was the final run. Both gybed a bit early for the downwind gate. Mike stayed hot, whereas Huw worked deep to avoid two extra gybes in rapid succession. Mike stacked it on the last gybe, handing Huw victory; apparently, there was whooping.

Race 3 saw Huw Powell leading again. Huw had a wrap in the kite at the last top mark. Mike Green sneaked through but swam at the gybe. Leighton King was then second but 30m from the line, also swam, letting Jeremy Troughton through for a 2nd.

Special mention to the six boats that kept their rigs dry, including between races. Dave Smart, Jeremy Troughton, Huw Powell, Jaye Rickards, Mostyn Evans and Alex Davies.

A huge thank you goes out to all of the MBSC safety boat crews and committee boat volunteers for braving the chop all day and assisting with rescues across all the fleets. Thank you to the beach crew for being ready with trolleys (and not to mention tally treats) for those of us who came in early from races throughout the day. Such a fantastic team- we feel very looked after!!

A huge effort today from all the sailors who braved the conditions and from the club to get in 3 races! Now onto the final day - who will take the crown of National Champion?

RS100s - Day 2 by Andy Jones

After a frustrating, but beautiful day bobbing around in an unstable and light wind on day 1, day 2 dawned with the promise of sunshine and 9-11knots all day. Given the forecast, Mounts Bay didn’t disappoint, with the race team getting four cracking races in.

Race 1 kicked off with Nils Joliffe quick out of the blocks, challenged by Mike Green and a chasing pack pulling clear from the fleet. Racing was never more than a few boat lengths apart but Nils kept control and crossed first, with Nigel Wakefield and Andy Jones pulling through to 2nd and third on the final run ahead of Mike Green and Alex Davies.

Race 2  saw Andy Jones led out from the start to head Clive Eplett and Nigel Wakefield. With Jones away in first Eplett looked secure in second down the final run,  until Wakefield caught him napping at the final leeward gate to drive over and snatch second place.

Race three followed a similar pattern, with Jones and Wakefield clearly enjoying the wind and pulling well clear, and Mike Green again to the fore in third.

The final race of a tiring day saw a large group from the right-hand side of the course lead into a very tight windward mark rounding. Leighton King rounded in the lead, followed by Nigel, while behind Huw Powell, approaching on port, failed to find the gap he needed ahead of Jones and a tight group of other sailors. The run saw Wakefield climb to first and Jones through to second, positions they held to the finish with Nils finding a way past Leighton to complete the podium.

Overall after day 1 it’s all to play for and with 3 races planned on Saturday, in forecast stronger winds, the fleet may shake yet up again.

RS100s - Day 1 by David Smart

The fleet headed out in what looked like a promising breeze, but once at the race area, it proved light and shifty.

After a few hours of waiting and an attempted start sequence, the class rep and the race committee agreed the conditions just weren't stable enough for fair racing. With AP over A hoisted, the fleet headed back ashore.

A short limerick by David Smart sums up the day...

There were sailors galore at Mounts Bay
Looking forward to a glorious day
But the wind didn't blow
The flags didn't show
But Duncan was sung Happy Birthday

Four races are now planned for Friday, assuming the wind plays ball!

RS100s - Day 2 by Andy Jones

After a frustrating, but beautiful day bobbing around in an unstable and light wind on day 1, day 2 dawned with the promise of sunshine and 9-11knots all day. Given the forecast, Mounts Bay didn’t disappoint, with the race team getting four cracking races in.

Race 1 kicked off with Nils Joliffe quick out of the blocks, challenged by Mike Green and a chasing pack pulling clear from the fleet. Racing was never more than a few boat lengths apart but Nils kept control and crossed first, with Nigel Wakefield and Andy Jones pulling through to 2nd and third on the final run ahead of Mike Green and Alex Davies.

Race 2  saw Andy Jones led out from the start to head Clive Eplett and Nigel Wakefield. With Jones away in first Eplett looked secure in second down the final run,  until Wakefield caught him napping at the final leeward gate to drive over and snatch second place.

Race three followed a similar pattern, with Jones and Wakefield clearly enjoying the wind and pulling well clear, and Mike Green again to the fore in third.

The final race of a tiring day saw a large group from the right-hand side of the course lead into a very tight windward mark rounding. Leighton King rounded in the lead, followed by Nigel, while behind Huw Powell, approaching on port, failed to find the gap he needed ahead of Jones and a tight group of other sailors. The run saw Wakefield climb to first and Jones through to second, positions they held to the finish with Nils finding a way past Leighton to complete the podium.

Overall after day 1 it’s all to play for and with 3 races planned on Saturday, in forecast stronger winds, the fleet may shake yet up again.

Noble Marine RS100 National Championship Prize Winners 2025