Royal Thames Yacht Club announces 250th Anniversary Regatta

Royal Thames Yacht Club announces 250th Anniversary Regatta © Paul Wyeth / www.pwpictures.com

The Royal Thames Yacht Club (RTYC) has published the 250th Anniversary Regatta Notice of Race and entries open on the 5th of December 2025. All information including the NoR and online entry can be found on the 250th Anniversary Regatta site.

The Club has announced that multiple fleets have chosen to incorporate a range of National and other Championships into the regatta, including the RORC IRC Nationals, RS Elite Class Nationals, Etchells National and British Open Championship, J70 Class Nationals, Sonar Class Nationals, Dragon Class Southern Area Championships, RS21 Round 3 UK & Ireland Cup, Daring Class Cory Cup and racing will also be provided for the Mermaid class, Classic yachts and Cruisers. Each class will race for between 2 and 4 days and they are working closely with each class to deliver their preferred racing formats.

The RTYC, founded in 1775, is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the World and its first regatta for the Cumberland Cup was held that year near Gravesend on the River Thames. Since then, the RTYC has created and organised a wide range of prestigious fleet, team and match racing events many of which are recognised worldwide. The 250th Anniversary Regatta will be run out of Cowes, IOW between the 11th-15th June and will be a celebration of keelboat and yacht sailing across the Solent.

Tom Partridge, Rear Commodore Sailing said "Our 250th Anniversary Regatta has been three years in the making, and we are excited to be offering high calibre racing for multiple fleets in the Solent and in Royal Thames style, there will be unrivalled off the water entertainment for all of the competitors."

To run alongside the on the water action, an extensive programme of shore side entertainment is planned each day at the Regatta Village in Cowes Yacht Haven, culminating in the 250th Anniversary Regatta Celebration Dinner. RTYC will also be using its new Cowes Shoreside premises for boat registration and running the regatta. All details of the social programme are available on the event website.

RTYC Vice Commodore Richard Powell added "All at the Royal Thames look forward to welcoming competitors and spectators to what will be an unforgettable Regatta, both on the water and off. The shoreside events have taken years of preparation. Don't miss this event. Please register as soon as you can."

To run a regatta of this scale, involving so many fleets, takes a lot of planning and co-operation from many parties. The RTYC have thanked in advance the teams from the Royal Yacht Squadron, Royal Ocean Racing Club and the Royal Southern Yacht Club, who will join the Royal Thames team, in making the event possible. They will be working closely with Cowes Harbour Commission, Cowes Harbour Master, Cowes Yacht Haven and Shepards Wharf Marina to deliver this regatta, to whom they extended their thanks for the support and willingness to engage in putting together this celebration of sailing in the Solent.

Principle Race Officer, Tim Hancock said "When I talk to the various classes and supporting clubs, I can feel the excitement building. I am confident, that with the levels of co-operation I have seen from all the stakeholder, we will put on a fantastic event, which will live in people's memories for years to come."