The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s training regatta, the RORC Easter Challenge supported by North Sails, came to a conclusion on Easter Sunday with two races held in brilliant sunshine in the Solent. A stiff westerly breeze of about 15 knots decreased and veered to the north during the day. PRO Stuart Childerley and the RORC Race Team ran a windward leeward course followed by a round the cans race to deliver a total of 7 races in three days for the RORC Fleet.

Congratulations to the 2026 RORC Easter Challenge IRC Class Winners: Simon Patterson’s Fast40+ Standfast, David Franks’ J/112 Leon and John Smart’s J/109 Jukebox.

IRC One

Simon Patterson’s FAST40+ Standfast was the dominant performer, completing the regatta with a perfect scoreline of seven bullets. Malcolm Offord’s TP52 Braveheart finished second overall, racing well well after two DNCs to post a run of three runners up positions in races. The Family De Graaf’s Ker 43 Baraka GP completed podium, just two points behind Braveheart.

IRC Two

David Franks’ J/112 Leon was the dominant performer in IRC 2, winning six races. The Army Sailing Association’s Sun Fast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier was a clear second with a highly consistent scoreline, making the podium in every race. RORC Vice Commodore Derek Shakespeare with J/122 Bulldog completed the top three, ending the series strongly with scores of 4, 3 and 1 in the final three races. Bulldog finished just one point ahead of Max Walker’s Sun Fast 3600 Elysium IV.  

“The Easter Challenge has been a very good regatta for us,” commented David Franks. “We like strong winds, it suits Leon and it suits the team, so from that point of view it has been an excellent way to start the season. That is really what this event is about. It is a proper shakedown. It tests the crew, it tests the boat and it tests all the work you have done over the winter to get ready. Of course, once you are out there, it is not just training, you are racing properly. It is all guns firing and you are trying to do everything right, even though nobody ever does. In the end, it often comes down to the team that makes the fewest mistakes.

What also makes this regatta so valuable is the coaching. You are getting proper racing on the water, but with the benefit of expert feedback as well, and that is a great combination. Looking ahead, we have a busy season planned with Round the Island, Cowes Week and the IRC Europeans among our main targets.” 

IRC Three

John Smart’s J/109 Jukebox was the dominant performer,  winning the first four races and then adding a third and a second in the final two. Oliver & Sam Love’s J/109 Frank 4 finished second overall giving Jukebox a match race in nearly every encounter, a retirement in Race 5 spoilt their chances of class victory but Frank 4 finished on a high by winning the last two races. Harry Heijst’s S&S 41 Winsome completed the top three.

“We came to the RORC Easter Challenge because this season the P30 circuit is a big focus for us, and this event helps build towards that,” commented John Smart. It is a very good early marker for the year and a proper warm up, especially in testing conditions, because it sharpens boat handling, manoeuvres and overall control. What was especially good this weekend was the quality of the racing that close boat on boat element pushes everyone to improve.

I think we definitely got quicker during the regatta, and that is one of the most valuable things about this event. We had a relatively young crew on board, mixed with some of our core team, and it was really encouraging to see how well they came together. The teamwork improved all weekend, and that is what gives you confidence for the season ahead. We learnt a lot, we were pushed hard, and that is exactly why we came.”

Coaching Coordinator for the RORC Easter Challenge is Richard Moxey with a team including North Sails experts plus Olympian Vita Heathcote and professional coach Phil Devereux. Richard Moxey summed up the aims of the early season training regatta.

“The main aim of the RORC Easter Challenge is for teams to leave the regatta sailing better than when they arrived, with the results very much secondary to that,” commented Richard Moxey. “That has been the most encouraging thing over these three days. With expert coaches out on the water and detailed video debriefs ashore, you could see clear improvement right across the fleet. The conditions gave the teams plenty to deal with, from spring tides and gusts over 30 knots to much lighter patches, so it was a demanding but very productive learning environment.

What has also been especially pleasing is how open the teams have been to the whole process. They have shared ideas, asked questions, studied the video footage and really embraced the opportunity to learn. That is what the event is all about. It is meant to be fun, sociable and collaborative, but also a valuable chance to build skills, improve communication and go into the season ahead with greater confidence and plenty more room to improve.”

The RORC Easter Challenge Prize Giving was held at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse. RORC Racing Manager Chris Jackson thanked the RORC team and all the competitors. RORC Vice Commodore Derek Shakespeare, who had been racing his J/122 Bulldog, presented class winners with their prizes and performed the traditional Easter Toss to competitors.

The competitors’ whatsapp group during the RORC Easter Challenge bore testament to the value of the training regatta. 

“Many thanks to the race committee for a great weekend. For One Way, it was a really valuable training regatta and we finished every race, which gave the team a big boost in confidence and sail handling ahead of the Women’s Open Keelboat Championships in June.” Lou Clayton.

“Team Maximus would like to say a massive thank you for a great weekend so glad we made it just in time and thanks to the North Sails crew for all their advice and very much appreciated. Look forward to next year and the rest of this season.” Ian McMillan.

“Thanks so much to all organisers, RC, coaches and other friendly crews we had the opportunity to meet! On Zanzibar we got everything and more out of this weekend that we wanted - lots of getting to know our new boat and lots of confidence in the boat and crew building! Looking forward to seeing everyone on coastal and offshore courses this season.” Inka Luhrs.