13/06/2026
⛵️ Lifeboat Week 2026 – Wednesday & Thursday Race Round-Up ⛵️
What a couple of evenings we've had on the Thames for Lifeboat Week 2026, with plenty of close racing, changing fortunes and, of course, the ever-unpredictable Twickenham wind!
Wednesday's race saw a competitive fleet take to the water, with sailors battling not only each other but also the shifting breeze. As always, the pursuit race format kept things interesting, with handicaps creating plenty of opportunities for position changes throughout the evening. Strong performances across the fleet meant the overall standings remained incredibly tight heading into the final two races of the week.
Thursday evening brought the penultimate race of Lifeboat Week and, true to form, our stretch of the Thames ignored much of the forecast. The race course was shortened, and first away was the brave little Otter Blue Bottle, expertly helmed by James D, with a huge 15-minute advantage over the rest of the fleet.
For a while it looked promising, but the fickle Twickenham breeze had other ideas. Struggling to reach the first windward mark below Eel Pie Island, Blue Bottle watched much of its hard-earned head start disappear before eventually finding enough wind to continue downstream. By then, the chasing boats were benefiting from a steadier breeze and beginning to close in.
At the end of the first lap, Ian Hurst's Solo had taken the lead, with Serhii's Solo close behind. Club Commodore James Lee and Clare, sailing the flagship N12, were well placed in third, while Nick Titley and Alistair Edwards continued to chase hard despite their larger starting handicaps.
As the 8.30pm finish approached, the racing tightened. Ian and Serhii fought hard for supremacy in their Solos, but James and Clare steadily worked their way into the lead and extended their advantage enough to secure victory on the night. Serhii claimed second place, Ian finished third, and behind them Alistair eventually got the better of Nick in their own closely fought battle.
Blue Bottle may have brought up the rear, but as always sailed with determination and earned itself an extra three minutes for Friday's start.
With the handicaps doing exactly what they were designed to do, everything was left hanging in the balance going into the final race. Three boats still had a realistic chance of taking overall honours, setting up a fantastic finale to Lifeboat Week 2026.
🚤 Thank you to everyone who has sailed, volunteered, supported and spectated throughout the week. One final race to go!