The end of the PCC Regatta on Sunday 20th September closed two weekends of fabulous Bristol Channel racing. Two weekends that saw crews dodge ominous weather forecasts to deliver everything a racing sailor could ask for! Add in spirited competition, strong camaraderie and lively post-race celebrations and it’s clear that the two weekends were a huge success.
Holms Race – 12th September
The legendary Holms Race saw an impressive entry list of over 40 boats, proving once again how popular this event remains across the Bristol Channel, with entries extending from Lydney to Cardiff.
With heavy weather forecast, a number of skippers made the prudent decision to stay in port. But for the 30 or so boats that took to the start line, they were rewarded by better than forecast conditions which, while testing, rewarded competitors with a thrilling and tactical race around the Holms Islands. With 27 finishers and much discussion at the post-event Hog Roast, kindly provided by race sponsors Boatfolk and the Boat Repair Centre, alongside refreshments from the PCC cash bar, crews shared their experiences of an exhilarating days sailing that saw them combat the weather, time and tide to ensure they reached the middle of the Holms Islands at slack water. To see who took home the prizes, sponsored by Advance Marine, click here. In addition, the BCYA Rose Bowl, presented to the club with the highest three placements was retained by Cardiff Bay Yacht Club.
PCC Regatta – Weekend of 19th / 20th September
For the second Saturday in a row, the weather served up some testing conditions on the first day of the inaugural PCC Regatta. Crews raced brisk winds with sharp gusts reaching into the high 20 knots which demanded careful boat handling and precise tactics. Despite the challenging breeze that saw many spinnaker broaches, the Race Committee were able to deliver two races before everyone headed ashore to enjoy the delights of the PCC Bar and pizza wagon. At the half way stage, with two races sailed, PCC boat, One Tonner, Hero took pole position and given the testing conditions, Supersonic, the Melges 24 from Cardiff Bay Yacht Club took a special prize for the best wipeout.
By comparison, Sunday could not have been more of a contrast in terms of weather. The breeze settled, the sun came out and classic champagne sailing conditions prevailed for the first two races before the wind started to die in the third. Blue skies and flat water made for superb sailing across the fleet which closed out the regatta on a high.
Overall, Supersonic, the Melges 24 took 1st place with Milford Haven’s J/109 Jigsaw taking second and PCC boat Hero taking third. For a full run down of the results, click here.
Thanks to the Visiting Crews!
A huge thank you to all the crews that took part in this year’s Holms Race and PCC Regatta and especially to those that made the journey to join us. It was great to welcome crews from across the Bristol Channel whose participation made the racing tighter, the fleet bigger and the atmosphere on and off the water fantastic! A big thanks too to everyone involved in organizing and running both the Holms Race and the PCC Regatta including our sponsors, Boatfolk, The Boat Repair Centre and Advance Marine. Both events will return in 2027.
