2026 DF95 National Championship Report and Results

DF95 National Championship – Lincoln Radio Sailing Club A weekend where patience, nerve and a feel for pressure bands mattered more than raw boat speed

The DF95 Nationals opened under bright sunshine, though the heavy condensation on the camper vans suggested overnight rain. In reality, Lincoln had stayed dry, and by early‑morning the sun was pushing through thin cloud to create a gentle, deceptive calm before the battles to come.

Saturday – Four seeding races, forty‑degree shifts, and a PRO working overtime

The wind gods were in mischievous mood. Darin Ballington, serving as PRO, was forced to reset the course a few times before the four seeding races were complete. Shifts of 40 degrees arrived without warning, turning the first beats into a lottery and making timing and lane‑holding brutally difficult.

Despite the volatility, the expected quartet delivered in the seeding races: Peter Baldwin, John Tushingham, Nigel Barrow, and Craig Richards each took a win, confirming their status as early favourites.

With the light and fickle breeze, alongside Darin’s liking for a long course it was midday before the fleet finally moved beyond seeding and into the first full race and in the A‑heat of Race 2, the conditions threatened to demote all four favourites to B heat. The first beat was savage, the second no kinder, and both Peter Baldwin and John Tushingham were duly relegated to the B‑fleet. Craig Richards and Nigel Barrow survived by the narrowest of margins.

For those who haven’t visited LRSC before it is an idyllic setting with a square lake bounded by low vegetation, the local wildlife can be heard and wildfowl seen gently picking at food in the lake, with just the occasional train passing by. Picture postcard stuff and one of the reasons why so many like to camp on site… Well, it is until the water level drops, the wind keeps switching around and the pulled and digested weed on the edges calmly drifts across the lake. Craig, John and others encountered this debris towards the end of the 1^st day, and with little breeze to power the boats it did create some frustration, however Craig being Craig, ground his way back into a top‑six position by day’s end, perfectly poised should Sunday offer a fairer breeze.

Through all of this, one sailor remained serene: Paul Robson. With finishes of 1, 2, 3, 13, he looked to have a direct line to the wind gods, sailing with clarity and consistency when others were fighting the randomness. Kevin Evison, from the host club, and Derek Priestley matched that consistency to sit second and third overnight, with Nigel Barrow and Ben Wallace completing the top five.

Four races were completed, with only the A‑heat of Race 5 left to sail on Sunday morning.

Sunday – Calm, confusion, and a championship decided by a single puff

Sunday dawned bright, still and ominously calm. The forecast suggested zero wind all day, and for a while it looked accurate. Then, slowly, unpredictably, the breeze began to arrive from every point of the compass.

The first attempt at completing Race 5 lasted barely a leg of the course. The fleet rounded what should have been the windward mark, only for it to become the leeward mark as the wind collapsed and reversed. Abandonment was the only option.

The restart brought more drama. Nigel Barrow launched cleanly, rounded the first mark with a solid lead, and looked set to take the championship as Paul Robson was buried deep in the pack.

But the wind gods were not finished.

At the final leeward gate, Barrow chose the right‑hand mark and sailed straight into an ominous calm patch. John Tushingham, thirty yards behind, sensed opportunity. He took the opposite gate, found the faintest whisper of pressure, and glided away. The fleet followed. A right‑shift followed with new breeze, and half the fleet rolled over becalmed Barrow in seconds.

Hero to zero. As Nigel’s father might have said: good for the soul.

With no further racing possible, Paul Robson’s 8^th place finish was enough to secure the 2026 DF95 National Championship. Kevin Evison held second, Ben Wallace climbed to third, Nigel Barrow took fourth, and Michael Read completed the top five.

Although we mention the front runners in this report, the event would not be the same without the whole fleet and it was pleasing to see so many smiling faces during the weekend, and thanks being given by all during the prize giving. We are sure that these faces will be seen at future events in the DF racing calendar and we look forward to welcoming them again.

A good weekend delivered by Lincoln and by its volunteers

Despite fickle, frustrating and occasionally comical conditions, we won’t mention impromptu swimming, Lincoln Radio Sailing Club delivered a superb championship. The race team worked tirelessly, and the volunteers ensured the event ran smoothly throughout:  The were:

• Darin Ballington PRO
• Tracey Ballington ARO
• Sharon Plested – Finishing
• Judith Baldwin – Fleetboard
• Colin Helliwell – Scoring
• Richard Jutsum
• Andrew Edmondson
• Grounds Preparation – Lincoln RSC “Wednesday Gang”

Their efforts were appreciated by every sailor on the bank.

At the final Prize giving, Darin offered some special prizes as follows

Furthest Travelled – Steven Findlay, Australia (Via a barge in Belgium)

Most Heats Sailed (9 heats)- Equal: Keith Simmons- Dartmoor MBC, Ken Binks- Eastbourne & District MYC  (Prize donated by RC Yachts)

Novice Award – Ian Lloyd – Coalhouse Fort RYC (Prize donated by Rooster)

­Race Officer Addendum:

What could have been a very frustrating weekend was made enjoyable by the standard of sailing, and camaraderie in the fleet. There were no general recalls, no off-water protests, and only a small amount of frustration vented over the two days. Something that made the weekend enjoyable for everyone.

Thank you all.

Results

DF95 National Championships

P.S when the wind isn’t playing ball, its great to just float around in the boat in the middle of the lake and listen to the laughter and discussion on the bank…

Report by Nigel Barrow and Darin Ballington.

Photo credits to Nigel and CMBC RC Sail Racing