by Andy Rice 29 Jan 11:59 GMT
Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series action from past events © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk The John Merricks Tiger Trophy at Rutland Water is looking set to be the most competitive yet in this season’s Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series. After a break from recent events, Tom Gillard and Rachael Gray are back in their Merlin Rocket. But will they manage to dominate at Rutland as they have done at the first three events of the season?
Looking at the line-up gathering for this weekend’s competition, they will have to be at the top of their game to win a fourth event.
Gillard and Gray will have to keep their rival Merlin competitors at bay, not least Castle Cove’s Tom Ballantine crewed by Olympic kitefoil and 49erFX campaigner Maddy Anderson.
Elsewhere in the fleet there’s Megan Pascoe in the 2.4mR singlehanded keelboat. A former World and European Champion in the class, she could do well if the wind is on the lighter side. On the long-range forecast the breeze was looking around 8 to 15 knots which might be a bit on the high side for Pascoe.
A family affair
However there are other Pascoes in the fleet, Megan’s brother Sam (winner of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series two years ago in the Musto Skiff) crewing for his 10-year-old son Benjamin on the tiller of a 2000. The son-and-father combo won the 2000 Nationals at Hayling Island last summer, but will have to race smart to stay ahead of 2000 rivals Simon and Katie Horsfield who won three consecutive editions of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series a few years back. Simon is also the resident coach for the Series (see below).
The roll call of top level sailors continues, particularly in the 505 entries for the Tiger. Three former winners of the Selden Sailjuice Winter Series are vying against each other in the Five-Oh, namely Simon Potts, Michael Sims and Ben McGrane. Multiple International 14 World Champion Harvey Hillary is helming another 505 with former Fireball World Champion Richard Anderton on the trapeze.
All speeds, shapes and sizes
Meanwhile Selden’s own Andy Tarboton, reigning Musto Skiff World Champion, takes the helm of an International 14 with Tristan Tomlinson pulling the strings at the front. The battle for fastest boat on the water could come down to Alex Adams in a foiling International Moth against Simon Hiscocks, the double Olympic medallist who’s racing a foiling Switch this weekend.
And so it goes on. There are already 43 different classes entered, representing almost every aspect of dinghy sailing in the UK’s hugely diverse small-boat universe.
Olympic silver medallist David Wilkins takes his usual role of principal race officer and heads up a team of keen and expert volunteers. The forecast is good and everything is lining up for a great weekend of racing across Saturday and Sunday.
The Saturday evening Dinner is informal this year and the meal is £16.00 for two courses and will start soon after the Six Nations Rugby match finishes on the big screen.
To join in for a great weekend of racing and socialising at Rutland Water, enter now .
Navigators and General Coaching debrief
Resident coach of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, Simon Horsfield, is providing tips and advice throughout the eight events of the season. Supported by new sponsor, insurance company Navigators & General, Simon is a three-time winner of the series and well qualified to help sailors of all levels. And he’s racing this weekend, so well placed to see what the winning moves prove to be on Rutland Water.
The Events
The following events are in the Seldén SailJuice Winter Series 2025/26:
You can find out more about the Series at www.SailJuiceSeries.com
Navigators & General SailJuice Winter Series, UK's premier winter handicap racing.
