2026 RORC Easter Challenge Day 2 - Responsive racing in changing conditions
by Louay Habib / RORC 5 Apr 03:00 PDT
3-5 April 2026
Day Two of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's training regatta, the RORC Easter Challenge supported by North Sails, delivered another sporty day on the Solent with 12 to 20 knots of gusty south westerly breeze.
PRO Stuart Childerley and the RORC Race Team ran three short, sharp windward leeward races in the Eastern Solent. Conditions were different to the first day in so much as there was a wider range in wind conditions. Competitors that managed the changes in wind speed as well as direction maximized their performance.
After racing, the RORC Cowes Clubhouse was briming with sailors for the final video debrief for the RORC Easter Challenge. Led by coaching coordinator Richard Moxey, Olympian Vita Heathcote, North Sails' Jeremy Smart and professional coach Phil Deveraux. During the hour long session, the coaching team focused on improvements that the teams had made after two days of racing at the RORC's training regatta. They will take those learnings into the final day of racing on Easter Sunday.
"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 recognised that early were better placed to adapt their mode and their strategy.
Another key factor was the tidal change 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 one big movement. That applies to both trim and helming. The boats that looked most settled were the ones where the crew were communicating clearly, keeping the sails working and reacting 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.
David Franks' J/112 Leon maintained their perfect scoreline at the RORC Easter Challenge, winning all three of today's races in convincing style. In Race 3, Leon beat Army Sailing Association's Sun Fast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier 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 of Fujitsu British Soldier, while Jagerbomb completed the top three, 1 minute 56 seconds behind second place. Race 5 was closer at the front, with Leon winning by 1 minute 3 seconds from Max Walker's Sun Fast 3600 Elysium IV, and Fujitsu British Soldier taking third, just 1 minute 28 seconds further back on corrected time.
John Smart's J/109 Jukebox remains unbeaten in IRC 3, winning all three races today but it was far from easy after IRC time correction. In Race 3, Jukebox won by 30 seconds on corrected time from Giovanni Belgrano's Giles 39 Classic Whooper, with Oliver 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, with Harry Heijst's S&S 41 Winsome taking third, just 9 seconds behind second place.
Racing at the RORC Easter Challenge will come to a conclusion on Sunday 5 April with more racing in the Solent. Followed by the Prize Giving and traditional 'Easter Egg Toss' at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse.
Full Results