Jon Richards Claims Maiden Race Win as Simon Hawkes Takes Overall Honours

Published 7:27pm on 1 Jun 2026

Castle Cove hosted a competitive Phantom open meeting as part of the Craftinsure Super Series, with nine local boats joined by three visitors. Despite a smaller fleet following the Inland Championships the previous week, close racing throughout the fleet made for an excellent weekend in Portland Harbour.

Saturday's three races were sailed in sunshine and steady breezes. Charlie Sansom won the opening race after a smart move at the first mark, while Nick Orman took victory in race two. Simon Hawkes then claimed race three after a closely fought contest, with the entire fleet finishing within a minute.

Sailors enjoyed a social evening with curry, drinks and plenty of stories before returning on Sunday to much lighter conditions. After an initial postponement, the race team successfully waited for the breeze to fill in, allowing three more races to be completed.

Sansom dominated Sunday on the water, crossing the line first in races four, five and six. However, drama struck after the final race when he was found to have been OCS (On Course Side) at the start. This handed race victory to Jon Richards, who secured his maiden Phantom open race win.

The penalty also gave Simon Hawkes overall regatta victory by a single point. Competitors thanked Castle Cove's volunteers led by team Pascoe, the race team, sponsors LIFTech and Craftinsure, and the 2000 fleet for helping deliver a memorable event.

Read the full Yachts and Yachting Report HERE