J’s Dominate Top Spots @ RORC Easter Challenge

(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- The RORC Easter Challenge, organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, returned to the Solent from April 3-5, 2026, offering effective ways for racing teams to prepare for the season ahead. Hosted from the RORC Cowes Clubhouse, the three-day regatta combined high-quality racing with world-class coaching, making it one of the most valuable early-season events in the racing calendar. Teams compete in short Solent races during the day, then review their performance through detailed video analysis and coaching sessions each evening. In general, J/Teams performed well, if not better than expected for their early-season “test”. Here’s how it all went down over the three days.

Day 1
The event kicked off on Easter Friday with windy conditions on the Solent: 15 knots gusting to 30 knots from the southwest, producing thrilling conditions for the sailors.

IRC 2 Division
David Franks’ J/112E LEON was the standout performer in IRC 2, taking two wins from two races on the opening day. In Race 1, LEON won by 3 minutes 51 seconds on corrected time. Race 2 followed a similar pattern, with LEON taking another win, this time by 3 minutes 4 seconds on corrected time .

IRC 3 Division
John Smart’s J/109 JUKEBOX was the standout performer in IRC 3, taking two wins from two races on the opening day. In Race 1, Jukebox won by 1 minute 59 seconds on corrected time from Oliver Love’s J/109 FRANK 4. Race 2 saw JUKEBOX stretch its advantage, winning by 3 minutes 6 seconds from FRANK 4.

Chris Shipman’s team racing on J/109 RIOJA was a typical example of a team making full use of the RORC Easter Challenge. RIOJA intends to compete both inshore and offshore during 2026. North Sails’ Ruaridh Wright joined the team for today’s racing to help get them up to speed.

“RIOJA is relatively new to Chris Shipman, and this was an early outing for a scratch crew, so the whole focus was on keeping things simple,” commented Ruaridh Wright. “We went afloat with a reef in and a J4, knowing it was going to be breezy and testing, and the objective was not to chase perfection or get drawn into overcomplicating things. It was about getting around the course in a tidy fashion, working on the fundamentals, and making sure everyone settled into their roles. In those conditions, with a big breeze, chop, and plenty of pressure changes, that was the right approach.

What was really encouraging was how much progress the team made throughout the day. There were big strides on board, especially when you consider that not everyone knew each other well going into the regatta. The mechanics started to come together, the starts were positive, and, despite everything being so new, they managed to round out the top three in the first race, which was a very solid return.

With a developing crew, you have to make sure the foundations are sound before refining the finer points. Rioja did that well today. The next step is to build on it, improve communication, smooth out the maneuvers, and keep repeating the good habits. That is how teams naturally get faster.”

Day 2
The second day delivered another sporty outing on the Solent with 12 to 20 knots of gusty southwesterly breeze. PRO Stuart Childerley and the RORC Race Team ran three short, sharp windward-leeward races in the Eastern Solent. Conditions were different from the first day, with a wider range of wind conditions. Competitors who managed changes in wind speed and direction maximized their performance.

“One of the biggest lessons from today was the importance of making an honest assessment of the conditions,” commented Vita Heathcote at the debrief. “It is very easy to sail the numbers or the expectation, which was to have strong wind again today, but the reality on the water was that the breeze was below 14 knots for much of the racing. The teams that recognized that early were better placed to adapt their mode and their strategy.

Another key factor was the shift in tides between races. The shift from right to left had a big influence on the beat, and in that first upwind leg, it was important to identify early that the long jibe on port was going to pay. The boats that saw that picture soon enough, and committed to it with confidence, gained a real advantage.

In the puffy conditions, transition management was also crucial. Small adjustments made early are usually far more effective than leaving it too late and then making a single big move. That applies to both trim and helming. The boats that looked most settled were those where the crew communicated clearly, kept the sails working, and reacted before the pressure fully arrived.

For developing teams, the really useful takeaway to improve performance in today’s conditions was not just about raw boat speed, but also about awareness, communication, and making small, smart decisions at the right time.”

Jeremy Smart and Ruaridh Wright from North Sails were out on the water today watching the action and spoke at the debrief.

“Today was a really good step forward because a lot of crews clearly took on board what was discussed yesterday and started to apply it on the water. You could see better communication, more problem-solving on board, and more boats evolving through the day, which is exactly what this regatta is for,” commented Ruaridh Wright. “The big theme for us was upwind setup and making sure the jib and mainsail were working together, rather than fighting each other. A lot of boats had the jib trimmed too hard and too flat in the foot, which makes it harder to power through chop and can disturb the flow into the mainsail. What we were looking for was a better match between the two leeches, with enough shape in the jib to keep the boat moving and balanced.”

“Another key lesson was adaptability,” commented Jeremy Smart. “The breeze and tide were changing through the day, especially near the top of the course, so static trim was not enough. The best crews were the ones anticipating gusts early, making small adjustments and staying ahead of the pressure rather than reacting too late. Heel angle was also important. If you can keep the boat flatter while still holding speed, you reduce leeway and go upwind more efficiently.

The overall message was to stay responsive, stay balanced, and keep communicating. Good trim is not just about one sail in isolation, it is about understanding that the whole boat is connected, from helm to mainsail to jib, and getting all of it working together.” Concluded North Sails’ Jeremy Smart.

IRC 2 Division
Franks’ J/112 LEON maintained their perfect scoreline, winning all three of today’s races in convincing style. In Race 3, LEON beat the second boat by 3 minutes 19 seconds on IRC corrected time, with Paul Griffiths’ J/111 JAGERBOMB another 33 seconds back in third. Race 4 was similar, with LEON again taking the win, 3 minutes 22 seconds ahead, while JAGERBOMB completed the top three. Race 5 was closer at the front, with LEON winning by a mere 1 minute 3 seconds… whew! Close one, boys!

IRC 3 Division
John Smart’s J/109 JUKEBOX remained unbeaten in IRC 3, winning all three races. But it was far from easy after the IRC time correction. In Race 3, JUKEBOX won by 30 seconds on corrected time, with Love’s J/109 FRANK 4 just 8 seconds further back in third. Race 4 was again close, with JUKEBOX beating Alain Waha and Matt Waite’s J/99 FURTHER WEST by exactly 1 minute after correction, while FRANK 4 was only 8 seconds behind FURTHER WEST in third. Race 5 saw JUKEBOX complete a clean sweep, this time finishing 44 seconds ahead of FURTHER WEST on corrected time.

Day 3
The regatta 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.

IRC 2 Division
David Franks’ J/112 LEON was the dominant performer in IRC 2, winning six races. RORC Vice Commodore Derek Shakespeare with J/122 BULLDOG completed the top three, ending the series strongly with scores of 4-3-1 in the final three races.

“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, the boat, and 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 3 Division
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 spoiled their chances of class victory, but FRANK 4 finished on a high by winning the last two races.

“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, maneuvers, and overall control. What was especially good this weekend was the quality of the racing, and the 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 learned a lot, we were pushed hard, and that is exactly why we came.”

Behind the two lead J/109s, other notable finishes were Simon & Sally Shillaker’s J/92S JAMBO in 4th, Waha & Waite’s J/99 FURTHER WEST in 5th, Rob Cotterill’s J/109 MOJO RISIN in 7th, Chris Shipman’s J/109 RIOJA in 9th, and the trio of George & Fred Neville and Robin Hardy’s J/109 JAMIRA in 10th.

For more RORC Easter Challenge sailing information
https://www.rorc.org/2026-race-programme