The 2026 IOM sailing season got underway on 18 January with the running of the first IOM ranking event being the Whitrod Trophy, sailed on the Patawalonga at Glenelg, South Australia. The early-season event attracted a fleet of 14 skippers from across the state, providing the first benchmark of form for the new year.
Racing was conducted in typical mid-summer Adelaide conditions. A WSW sea breeze developed through the afternoon, generally sitting in the 10–15 knot range, providing challenging but manageable conditions on the narrow and tactical waters of the Patawalonga.
At the top of the leaderboard, Alex Scapens (AUS 106) delivered the most consistent performance of the day, finishing with a nett score of 22 points to claim the Whitrod Trophy. Across the fourteen races, Scapens recorded a remarkably steady series, rarely finishing outside the top three and keeping discard scores to a minimum.
Second place went to Brett Osborn (AUS 79) on 33 points, who remained firmly in contention throughout the afternoon and also posted multiple race wins. Paul Littledyke (AUS 44) completed the podium in third on 35 points, recovering well after an early high score to remain competitive through the middle and latter stages of the series.
Just off the podium, Neil How (AUS 01) and Simon How (AUS 142) rounded out the top five, both showing strong form in the variable breeze and adding depth to a competitive front of the fleet.
For Alex Scapens, the Whitrod Trophy was more than just a season opener. The event forms part of his preparation for the 2026 IOM World Championship, to be sailed in May at Datchet Water in the United Kingdom.
With international competition looming, the Glenelg result provides a solid early indicator that his campaign is on track, with consistency under pressure proving a key focus heading into the World Championship.