Solent Super Series 2025 - Round 4 at Gosport
by Mark Angell 25 Nov 06:30 PST
22-23 November 2025
Solent Super Series Round 4 © Solent Super Series
After three rounds of very favourable conditions, the 'winter series' version of the Solent Super Series greeted teams for the fourth and final round of the 2025 edition.
With 20 knots, at times gusting to 27, from the South to South West, reefs and small spinnakers were needed by the 4-handed Super Series crews whilst some heavy rain showers tested the wet weather gear onboard.
The course was broadcast from Cowes United - the Series committee boat, with Race Officer Rich Palmer laying out an 18nm, 7 mark course. The highlight was a 4nm downwind leg from Gurnard to the Stokes Bay area rounding Royal Yacht Squadron buoy part of a tour of the sailing club supported Fixed Solent Marks with Warsash SC, Portsmouth SC and Royal London YC, all featuring in Round 4's courses.
Leading the Series overall going into the final round the Royal Ocean Racing Club youth Griffin Team skippered by Albert Barber led the charge in Race 1, closely followed by One Way skippered by Cal Finlayson. Griffin had extended her lead at the most westerly point of the course but opted to fly a spinnaker taking them off the rhumb line and into the stronger ebbing tide risking some of the lead they had built up. Insert Coin and Smash opting to stick to the Island shore for better tidal relief ate into the lead Griffin had set. By the finish at Fairhall West (Gilkicker Area) it was Griffin who still had the lead some 4m 30s ahead of Insert Coin who held onto second and One Way 49s behind.
Race 2 soon followed, the Race Committee & competitors keen to turn racing around quickly in the wet and windy conditions. A strongly contested start saw Solis Ortus squeezing in at the Committee Boat with the best start, Insert Coin close behind opted to tack away early. By the windward mark [Quarr] Griffin had once again found her form with Smash and Insert Coin all rounding overlapped, the two Sun Fast 3600s Griffin and Smash dualling it out on the downwind. Squally conditions provided challenging sailing with a couple of broaches costing Smash their position, Insert Coin moved up into second. By the finish at Portsmouth SC buoy Griffin took the race win and sealed their Series Overall result, with a race to spare.
Insert Coin closely followed a minute behind and 34s on corrected time with the young team onboard Hair of the Dog skippered by Inka Luhrs onboard a Sun Fast 3200 would come home to take third 1m 28s behind the leader on corrected time.
The fleet headed in to Round 4's host - BoatFolk's Haslar Marina, alongside the iconic green lightship and the glow of Spinnaker Tower where the crews were welcomed to warm mulled cider and the dry shelter of The Creek restaurant bar. Before dinner could get under way, the round's prize draw was held. Lord of the Dance were first out of the bag, winning that evening's dinner for 4, Griffin were drawn next to win a set of customisable FourthCape drybags one each crew member. Smash won the final prize, a bottle of wine to wash down dinner.
Saturday night's social featured the unveiling of the new Solent Super Series Trophy crafted from a slab of cherry wood and featured past winners; 2023 - Kestrel, Simon Bamford, 2024 - Insert Coin, Gareth Edmondson and with an impressive string of wins and not needing Sunday's race, Griffin were announced the 2025 Solent Super Series champions - a commanding series with their worst result being a 4th at Round 2. Skipper Albert Barber and his young team from the Royal Ocean Racing Club's youth Griffin squad have only been sailing the boat for a year and showed impressive seamanship and race craft across the 11 races.
With 1st place decided, Sunday was all about who would complete the podium, Lord of the Dance and One Way tied for Round 4 and only a point separating them on the overall Leaderboard.
The fleet got under way on time in the vicinity of Spitbank Fort at Gleeds buoy, racing to the West, a beat across to the Island shore - Lord of the Dance having the best start at the pin end, Insert Coin and One Way opting for the Committee Boat end, the heading wind making a challenging beat up to Quarr before a 2 sail reach to Browndown. Lord of the Dance chanced a Code 0, pushing to get the most out of the Sun Fast 3300.
The predominantly upwind course suited the pointier hull shape of the Sun Fast 3600 One Way and by the second to last windward mark, One Way led the whole fleet around Royal London YC, closely followed by Griffin. A slick spinnaker hoist onboard Griffin put them ahead. Both Sun Fast 3600s employed different downwind sails.
After 20nm of racing the fleet finished at TeamO buoy, Griffin lead on the water and on corrected time with a string of bullets for Round 4 winning the Round and leaving the Series Overall in no doubt. One Way came through in second place in Race 3, securing 3rd for Round 4 and leapfrogged Lord of the Dance, taking 2nd in the Overall Standings, Insert Coin taking 3rd place and 2nd for Round 4.
With 4 weekends and 12 races completed across the Solent, Griffin won with 21 points. One Way secured 2nd place overall with 42 points and Lord of the Dance completed the podium positions in 3rd with 44 points.
"The Solent Super Series has been a great event to include in the first season with the new boat under the RORC Griffin program." Commented skipper Albert Barber, "The Griffin Project has offered our young team an incredible opportunity for growth and development. Getting to know the boat has been hugely rewarding, every step has been a learning experience for us."
"The racing throughout the series was close and competitive and genuinely fun, pushing us to improve through the series. Every weekend brought something special, with big grins all around. A particular highlight was the final weekend with big breeze and a great course allowed for some full send downwind legs! To come away with the series win is a big achievement for the team, and a great way to finish our first season with the boat. It's a huge boost of confidence as we gear up for what's next on Griffin."
"A huge thank you to Jim Driver for your unwavering support with Griffin, none of this would have been possible without you. We're also incredibly grateful to the organisers, the fleet, and most importantly, our fantastic crew who made this series such a success. We absolutely loved every moment and can't wait to be back next year!"
Solent Super Series Griffin Crew: Albert Barber, Nuala Sellwood, Abby Hire, Will Jarman, Thomas Woodall, Rachel Palmer.
The 2025 Solent Super Series will go down as one the highlights for many team's season and already being added to 2026 diaries. Dates are confirmed with Round 1 kicking off on Saturday 10th October 2026 with Rounds following every fortnight. The series was fortunate to be supported by; Musto Clothing, Marlow Ropes, BoatFolk & MarkSetBot who provided drinks and prizes for competitors. Thanks also to; Cowes United a very capable Committee Vessel, Race organisers The Island Sailing Club, tracking partners GeoRacing, and Round 1 berthing provider - Cowes Harbour Commission.
Find out more at www.solentsuperseries.com