The Portpatrick Race brought the 2026 Northern Ireland Offshore Points Series (NIOPS) to a close on Saturday, 5 September, with Pippa VI taking line honours and corrected-time victory after a closely fought crossing of the North Channel.
Strong but fading winds produced some significant tactical choices for the fleet, with less than half an hour separating the leading four boats after almost five hours of racing.
There was drama from the outset when eXcession attacked the start line but was forced to return and restart. Pippa VI made the best getaway, followed by Elixir, Blacksmith, eXcession, Just 1 More and Sunflower.
The opening beat quickly produced a split in tactics. Elixir and eXcession headed further offshore in search of pressure, while Pippa VI and Blacksmith worked towards the shore seeking tidal relief.
By the windward mark there was little between the two approaches, with Pippa VI and Elixir arriving almost together and eXcession and Blacksmith close behind.
Ferry close: A Portpatrick Race crew keeps a watchful eye on the passing Stena ferry during the tactical North Channel contest
A tight reach towards Cloughan Jetty was further complicated by the passage of the Stena Liverpool ferry before the fleet faced the major tactical decision of the race.
For the long run across to Portpatrick, Pippa VI and Blacksmith headed south while Elixir and eXcession chose the northern side, with crews weighing the expected wind shift against the developing tide.
It took almost four hours for the outcome to become clear.
In the fading breeze, Pippa VI emerged from the southern route to claim line honours at 14:46:49.
eXcession finished less than 12 minutes later, followed by Elixir and Blacksmith, with all four boats crossing the finish within 27½ minutes after nearly five hours of racing.
On corrected time, Pippa VI completed the double by taking both IRC and YTC honours, with eXcession second, Elixir third and Blacksmith fourth. Elixir completed the North Channel race double-handed.
Harbour rivals: Portpatrick Race winner Pippa VI alongside eXcession after a closely fought finale to the 2026 Northern Ireland Offshore Points Series.
In the Restricted fleet, Just 1 More prevailed over Sunflower as both boats worked their way towards Portpatrick in the steadily diminishing breeze.
The race also settled the overall 2026 NIOPS standings.
Three consecutive second places for eXcession in the Peel, Ailsa Craig and Portpatrick races proved enough to secure overall victory in both the NIOPS IRC1 and YTC1 series, ahead of Pippa VI.
For crews who stayed in Portpatrick, the offshore season concluded with the harbour town's Folk Festival in full swing, providing music and an evening ashore after the North Channel crossing.
