JOG Yacht Racing Celebrates 2026 Season with 35% Growth in Race Entries

JOG Yacht Racing concluded a successful 2026 season with a record 840 members, up 7% from 785 in 2025. Total race entries also increased by 35%, from 703 to 946, including JOG Week.

The club celebrated these achievements at its annual Awards Evening, held at the Harbour Hotel, Southampton, on Saturday 31 October. Members, competitors and supporters gathered to recognise individual race winners, overall series champions and outstanding contributions to the club.

Since the pandemic, JOG has doubled in size, while participation in Generation JOG has tripled, supported by significant sponsorship from Henri-Lloyd.

A Strong Season for JOG

The 2026 racing calendar combined coastal and offshore races to destinations including Deauville, Alderney, Cherbourg and St Vaast, attracting established competitors and newcomers to JOG racing.

Among the season’s standout performances, Stan the Boat, skippered by Toby Gorman, claimed the Class 4 Coastal Series title and was awarded the Imperator Trophy for Yacht of the Year.

Other Coastal Series champions included Dusty P, skippered by Richard Patrick, in Class 1, Bellino, skippered by Rob Craigie, in Class 2, and Javelin, skippered by Richard Newsome, in Class 3.

In the Offshore Series, Rockit, skippered by Chris Hanson, secured the Class 1 title, while Jetpack, skippered by Mark Brown, won Class 2 and With Alacrity, skippered by Chris Choules, took the Class 3 title.

Rockit also claimed both the overall Double-Handed Coastal and Offshore Series titles.

The evening recognised Sanity, skippered by Carol Lo, with the Spirit of JOG Award, while Lulu Wallis, racing aboard Nightjar, received the Generation JOG Youth Challenge Award.

The club also introduced the Women’s Sailing Series in 2026, building on female participation that already accounts for approximately a quarter of JOG competitors.

Congratulations to all competitors and trophy winners. 

2026 Trophy Winners

The full list of 2026 JOG Coastal and Offshore Series trophy winners, together with this year’s Special Awards, detailed below.

Class 4

Yacht / Skipper

Race or Achievement

Trophy

Joyride, Ed Rogers

2nd Overall, Double-Handed Coastal Series

The Captain’s Trophy

With Alacrity, Chris Choules

1st, Lymington–Cowes

Princessa Trophy

Selfish, Oliver Hawkins

1st, Cowes–Poole

JOG Sloop Trophy

Stan the Boat, Toby Gorman

1st, Lonely Tower

BLRA Quarter Ton Cup

 

1st, Weymouth & Portland

Faem Trophy

 

1st, Yarmouth–Cowes

Corsaire Clock

 

1st, Poole–Cowes

Clayton Memorial Cannon

 

1st, Cowes–Lymington

Olde English Trophy

 

Winner, Class 4 Coastal Series

Just So Trophy

Class 3

Yacht / Skipper

Race or Achievement

Trophy

Nightjar, Lulu Wallis

1st, Poole–Cowes

JOG Rose Bowl

Adelie, Rob Salter

1st, Dartmouth

Wista Trophy

Jukebox, John Smart

1st, Lymington–Cowes

Channel East Trophy

Option, Alan Jurd

1st, Deauville

Old Penny Cup

Stan the Boat, Toby Gorman

1st, Alderney

The Alderney Cup

 

Best Overall Yacht Over 25 Years Old

Beavis Trophy

Elaine Again, Edward Mockridge

1st, Yarmouth–Cowes

Western Approaches Salver

Just So, David McGough

1st, Lonely Tower

BLRA Half Ton Cup

Sailfish, Oliver Hawkins

1st, St Vaast

Royal Naval & Royal Albert YC Trophy

 

1st, Cherbourg

Frank Price Memorial Trophy

Javelin, Richard Newsom

1st, Weymouth & Portland

Owner’s Salver

 

1st, Cowes–Poole

JOG Ice Bucket

 

1st, Cowes–Lymington

Sheila Joy Memorial Bowl

 

Winner, Class 3 Coastal Series

Painting of Yacht ‘Vanity’

With Alacrity, Chris Choules

1st, Cowes–Cherbourg

Minx of Malham Cup

 

1st, Cherbourg–Cowes

Rolls Offshore Racing Cup

 

1st, St Peter Port

Schroder Enterprise Trophy

 

Winner, Women’s Sailing Series

Theta Rose Trophy

 

Winner, Class 3 Offshore Series

Angus Primrose Trophy

Class 2

Yacht / Skipper

Race or Achievement

Trophy

Unruly, Charles Bull

1st,Poole–Cowes

Quaich Bowl

Tigris, Gavin Howe

1st, Lonely Tower

Dusty Miller Trophy

Jeroboam, Stephen Davis

1st, St Peter Port

Channel Cup

Zanzibar, Richard Bretherton & Inka Luhrs

1st, Cherbourg

Lewmar Winch Trophy

RORC Griffin, RORC

1st, Yarmouth–Cowes

Gareth Roberts Memorial Trophy

 

1st, Cowes–Poole

Mick the Miller Trophy

Nightjar, Lulu Wallis

1st, St Vaast

Captain Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy

 

1st, Deauville

Deauville Trophy

 

1st, Alderney

JOG Wine Cooler

Jetpack, Mark Brown

1st, Cowes–Cherbourg

Minx of Malham Cup

 

1st, Cherbourg–Cowes

Blue Sabre Offshore Cup

 

1st, Dartmouth

Heavens Above Trophy

 

Winner, Class 2 Offshore Series

Illingworth Rose Bowl

Bellino, Rob Craigie

1st, Weymouth & Portland, Double-Handed

Colley Trophy

 

1st, Weymouth

Gib Offshore Trophy

 

1st, Cowes–Lymington

Five Star Sailing Trophy

 

1st, Lymington–Cowes

JOG Sextant

 

Winner, Class 2 Coastal Series

Demeter Cup

Class 1

Yacht / Skipper

Race or Achievement

Trophy

Tigris, Gavin Howe

1st, Cowes–Cherbourg, Double-Handed

Cora Trophy

Sanity, Carol Lo

2nd Overall, Double-Handed Offshore Series

JOG Double-Handed Trophy

 

Highest Total Elapsed Time

Olivia Anne IV Clock

British Soldier, Army Sailing Association

1st, Alderney

Alacrity Trophy

Checkmate XX, Nigel Biggs

1st, Yarmouth–Cowes

Georgian Trophy

Dawn Treader, Ed Bell

1st, Lonely Tower

Wai Aniwha Trophy

Surf, Adrian Dyball

1st, St Vaast

President’s Cup

Stickleback, Nick & Jacquetta Edmonds

1st, Lymington–Cowes

Sopranino Salver

Tangent Minus 1, Paul Aisher

1st, Weymouth & Portland

Aegle Trophy

RORC Griffin, RORC

1st, St Peter Port

Schroder Blenheim Trophy

Game On, Ian Hoddle

1st, Cowes–Cherbourg

Maid of Malham Cup

 

1st, Cherbourg–Cowes

Gary Weller Trophy

Scream 2, Stuart Lawrence

1st, Deauville

Coupe de Normandie

 

1st, Dartmouth

Marlow Rope Trophy

Dusty P, Richard Patrick

1st, Cowes–Poole

Gouldsmith Challenge Cup

 

1st, Poole–Cowes

JOG Plaque

 

1st, Cowes–Lymington

Owners Challenge Crate

 

Winner, Class 1 Coastal Series

Yachts & Yachting Salver

Rockit, Chris Hanson

1st, Cherbourg

Lewmar Trophy

 

1st Overall, Double-Handed Coastal Series

Electron Cocktail Shaker

 

1st Overall, Double-Handed Offshore Series

Just Enough Trophy

 

Winner, Class 1 Offshore Series

Bathsheba Trophy

Special Awards

Winner

Trophy

Stan the Boat, Toby Gorman

Imperator Trophy for Yacht of the Year

Lulu Wallis, Nightjar

Generation JOG Youth Challenge

Sanity, Carol Lo

Spirit of JOG

 

Supporting the Next Generation of Yacht Racers

With participation in Generation JOG having tripled since the pandemic, the programme has become an increasingly important part of the club’s growth.

Supported by Henri-Lloyd, Generation JOG aims to reduce the financial and practical barriers to entering competitive yacht racing.

Sailors aged 18–25 can benefit from 18 months of free JOG membership, including access to the MyJOG crew finder, which connects sailors with boat owners and skippers looking for crew. The programme also offers young sailors the opportunity to win £500 towards sailing kit, helping to reduce the costs of getting involved.

Education and training are another important part of the programme. Through JOG’s partnership with Chieftain Training, members can access discounted courses and gain recognised qualifications alongside practical racing experience. These opportunities help young sailors become safer, more knowledgeable and well-rounded crew members, while also opening potential pathways into careers in the marine industry.

Generation JOG participants are recognised through a dedicated series leaderboard, with end-of-season awards celebrating racing results, miles sailed, commitment and attitude.

Henri-Lloyd also sponsored Henri-Lloyd JOG Week in Dartmouth during 2026, further supporting the development of younger sailors.

Thank You to Our Sponsors
JOG would like to thank its 2026 sponsors for their support of the club and its racing programme. Our thanks go to Henri-Lloyd, Lewmar, OneSails GBR South, PredictWind, Osmotech UK, Stoneways Marine Insurance, Nautical Cloud, Spinlock, Howard Tenens and Seldén. Thanks also go to MDL Marinas for its support of the 2026 Awards Evening. JOG also extends its thanks to the boat owners, crews, race officers, volunteers and committee members whose contributions made the season possible.
 
Looking Ahead to 2027
The 2027 JOG racing calendar is live, with another great programme of coastal and offshore racing planned for the coming season.

The Notice of Race will be published in December. In the meantime, competitors can view the race dates and begin planning their 2027 racing schedules.

 
Find out more about racing with JOG and becoming a member at www.jog.org.uk.
 
Image credit: Paul Wyeth