2026 IOM Ranking 1 & 2 – Report and Results

West Lancs Sailing Club, Southport

A weekend of fine margins, fickle breezes and first‑class hospitality

West Lancs Sailing Club, long celebrated for the legendary 24‑hour race, is rapidly carving out a parallel reputation as one of the North’s premier radio‑sailing venues. With its expansive lake, generous clubhouse facilities, ample parking and motorhome power points, it is little wonder the IOM fleet descended in force for the latest Ranking 1 and 2 weekend.

Saturday – A Game of Patience and Precision

Competitors awoke to a cold, breathless morning. At 7am the lake lay perfectly still, a mirror reflecting Southport’s historic industrial skyline. By 8am the car park was buzzing as skippers prepared boats for measurement and sought every last tuning advantage in the marginal breeze.

Inside the clubhouse, measurement was running with clinical efficiency. Fins, bulbs and all‑up A‑rig weights were checked with Paul Middleton’s meticulously calibrated scales – complete with gloved‑hand handling of the reference weights, leaving no doubt about their accuracy. A few bulbs required a discreet drill‑out to shed a couple of grams, but the fleet soon passed through and headed lakeside.

The early practice session revealed the challenge ahead: a whisper of south‑easterly wind, barely enough to move an IOM. As briefing concluded, the breeze faded entirely, leaving the race team with a difficult opening to the day.

When the wind finally returned, the seeding races were sailed in the lightest of airs. Brad Gibson, as expected, dispatched his heat with trademark composure, while Simon Clark and Martin Roberts took the others.

A dramatic 90‑degree shift to the southwest after Race 2 forced a full course relocation to the southern shore. Once reset, racing resumed – and the tactical battleground sharpened.

Edwards the Wind‑Whisperer

In Race 2, Tony Edwards read the new breeze to perfection. Starting at the windward end, he tacked early onto port, hit the layline with precision and crossed the fleet for a commanding win in his new R2V2. Gibson followed, with Craig Richards third.

Race 3 saw Edwards attempt the same move, but this time Gibson and Josh King were ready. King took the win, Gibson second, Edwards third.

Race 4 delivered another shuffle: Richards claimed victory, Gibson again second, and Peter Stollery third. Gibson’s relentless consistency secured him the day’s overall win, with Edwards second and King third. Remarkably, every sailor except Gibson carried at least one poor result – a testament to the fleet’s depth and the punishingly light conditions.

Sunday – Light Again, but No Less Demanding

Sunday dawned with another gentle SE breeze. Seeding races got away cleanly, with Gibson, Darin Ballington and Steve Cockerill taking the honours. Thereafter, consistency became the rarest commodity on the lake.

Rob Walsh mastered the fickle shifts better than anyone, never finishing worse than seventh. The standout moment came in Race 3, when several front‑runners – including Gibson and Nigel Barrow – miscounted laps and sailed a fourth circuit. Rob McIntosh, correctly tallying the course, slipped through to take the win, followed by Duncan Ellis and Walsh.

Walsh’s steady hand earned him the day’s victory, with Stollery second and King completing his second podium of the weekend.

Design Watch – A Fleet in Flux

With rapid development across the IOM class, the results offered a fascinating snapshot of current form.

Day 1 Top Designs:

• 3D‑printed Post Punk
• 3D‑printed Proteus
• R2V2 (Robot Yachts)
• Pop
• Five BritPOPs in the top 10
• One Venti

Day 2 Top Designs:

• BritPOP dominant
• 3D Post Punk
• 3D Proteus
• Venti
• The new MINT from Joysway making an appearance

The variety at the front underlines the class’s ongoing innovation and the competitiveness of modern designs.

A Club That Delivered

West Lancs Sailing Club excelled as host. Alan Tickle deserves particular praise for orchestrating parking in a space seemingly too small for the fleet – yet somehow accommodating everyone – before donning multiple hats throughout the day to keep the event running smoothly.

Peter Baldwin and the race team managed extraordinarily difficult conditions with professionalism and calm. Inside, the clubhouse team provided warmth, free tea and coffee, hearty lunches and homemade cakes. Even the Commodore and Vice Commodore took turns presenting prizes.

The club’s efforts were widely appreciated, and their reward is significant: hosting the 2027 DF65 European Championship.

A Memorable Weekend

Despite the light winds, the racing was intense, tactical and unforgiving – exactly what a top‑level IOM ranking weekend should be. The fleet left Southport full of praise for the venue, the volunteers and the racing. West Lancs has firmly established itself as a premier radio‑sailing destination, and the community will be eager to return.

Full results below.

IOM Ranking 1 Final Results

IOM Ranking 2 Final Results