Grafham Grand Prix preview

There's a new team in town, and they must surely rank among the favourites for this Sunday's Grafham Grand Prix, event #5 of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series.

Can two super-crews combine to make an effective duo in the Scorpion at this Sunday's Grafham Grand Prix? Between them, Arran Holman and Rach Gray have won all four events so far in this season's Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, but they've yet to sail together in the same boat.

Gray won the first two events crewing in Tom Gillard's Merlin Rocket before Holman stepped in for Gray's place at the third event. Then just last weekend Holman won again at the Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey, this time crewing the Merlin with Johnny McGovern on the stick.

Gillard has gone AWOL, so the all-conquering super-crews are combining in the Scorpion to see if they can take on the rest of the hot fleet on a cold day at Grafham Water.

"We haven't sailed together before but Rach is a fantastic talent and we just wanted to get in the boat together and go have a bit of fun," said Holman, who has recently put his Olympic 49er campaign on hold but is extremely busy as a professional sailor. "I'm really enjoying doing the events in the Sailjuice Series. I was saying to Johnny last weekend, and he felt the same way, that of all the stuff I do across the year - racing on keelboats and all the Olympic campaigning - getting out in the winter and racing against people who are sailing purely for fun, it's one of the best things we get to do. Days out like last weekend at Yorkshire Dales are pretty special."

Johnny McGovern and Arran Holman win the Yorkshire Dales Brass Monkey - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

Among the competition will be some former winners of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series including multi-champion Nick Craig out in his Finn, and Michael Sims and Carl Gibbon, the reigning 505 National Champions.

There is a wide array of different craft entered, from the Flying Fifteen keelboats, a big spread of conventional monohull dinghies through to the foiling Waszp and the Weta trimaran. There are also quite a few catamarans entered for the event, with Christian Mash looking to repeat his Fast Handicap victory from last year in his singlehanded Spitfire cat.

Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series during 2025 - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk

ENTER TODAY

Online entry closes on Thursday 1 January, so book your spot ASAP for the Grafham Grand Prix , Sunday 4 January.

NAVIGATORS & GENERAL COACHING WITH SIMON HORSFIELD

Resident coach of the Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series, Simon Horsfield, is providing tips and advice throughout the eight events of the season. Supported by new sponsor, insurance company Navigators & General, Simon is a three-time winner of the series and well qualified to help sailors of all levels.

Earlier this week Simon did an online review of the action at the Brass Monkey, reflecting on the racing and highlighting some of the key learning points to take forward into the rest of the series.

SERIES RANKINGS AFTER FOUR EVENTS

Overall:
1st: Enterprise, Paul YOUNG & Various, Midland Sailing Club
2nd: Merlin Rocket, Thomas GILLARD & Rach GRAY, Sheffield Vikings SC/ Staunton Harold SC
3rd: Hadron H2, Gavin FLEMING, Grafham Water Sailing Club

Old Boats:
1st: ILCA 6 / Laser Radial, John CANT, Erith Yacht Club
2nd: Enterprise, Paul YOUNG & Igor BAKOWSKI, Midland Sailing Club
3rd: Scorpion, Steven MCCARTHY & Delyth HOPKINS, The Chase Sailing Club

Junior:
1st: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Toby TURNER, Draycote/SBSC
2nd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Faith TURNER, Draycote/SBSC
3rd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Alex STAINTON, Draycote

Youth:
1st: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Toby TURNER, Draycote/SBSC
2nd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Faith TURNER, Draycote/SBSC
3rd: ILCA 6 / Laser Radial, Will SADLER, Reading Sailing Club

19-30:
1st: Snipe, Matthew WOLSTENHOLME & Lloyd ROBERTS, Bough Beech SC
2nd: ILCA 6 / Laser Radial, Hugh LEACH, Reading Sailing Club
3rd: 2000, Jack BARRETT & Edward SKEITH, RNSA

31-60:
1st: Merlin Rocket, Thomas GILLARD & Rach GRAY, Sheffield Vikings SC/ Staunton Harold SC
2nd: Streaker, Peter GRAY, Staunton Harold
3rd: RS200, Alistair HODGSON & Ella SPAIN, Draycote Water Sailing Club

Masters:
1st: Hadron H2, Gavin FLEMING, Grafham Water Sailing Club
2nd: Enterprise, Paul YOUNG & Igor BAKOWSKI, Midland Sailing Club
3rd: K1, Chris SWALLOW, Burton Sailing Club

Female:
1st: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Faith TURNER, Draycote/SBSC
2nd: Fireball, Katie BYNE & Richard BAILEY, Draycote Water Sailing Club
3rd: Supernova, Serena STEWARDSON, Emberton Park

FastS:
1st: Merlin Rocket, Thomas GILLARD & Rach GRAY, Sheffield Vikings SC/ Staunton Harold SC
2nd: Osprey, Roger BLAKE & Jamie BLAKE, Great Moor Sailing Club
3rd: Contender, Nathan MCGRORY, Poole Yacht Club

FastA:
1st: Vortex, Jonathan CARTER, Rickmansworth SC
2nd: Musto Skiff, Richard SMITH, Medway Yacht Club
3rd: RS500, Nigel DAVIS & Aaron DAVIS, Draycote Water SC

SlowA:
1st: RS200, Alistair HODGSON & Ella SPAIN, Draycote Water Sailing Club
2nd: 2000, Jack BARRETT & Edward SKEITH, RNSA
3rd: RS200, Adam CATLOW & Martyn CATLOW, Stokes Bay SC / Leigh & Lowton

SlowS:
1st: Streaker, Peter GRAY, Staunton Harold
2nd: Snipe, Matthew WOLSTENHOLME & Lloyd ROBERTS, Bough Beech SC
3rd: ILCA 4 / Laser 4.7, Toby TURNER, Draycote/SBSC

Seldén Sailjuice Winter Series during 2025 - photo © Tim Olin / www.olinphoto.co.uk