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RS21 UK & IE Cup Round 2: Flat-Water Glamour to Bramble Bank Mayhem!

by RS Sailing 11 May 23:25 PDT 8-10 May 2026
RS21 UK and IE Cup Round 2 © Oli King Photography:

The RS21 UK & IE Cup returned to the Royal Southern Yacht Club for Round 2 of the 2026 series, 8-10 May, delivering three days of racing as part of the club's prestigious May Regatta.

With eight races completed across a wide range of conditions - from glamour sailing in flat-water medium breeze to tactical light airs and exhilarating heavy-weather action - the event showcased everything that makes RS21 racing so compelling.

Friday: Tiga Tiger Sets the Pace

The opening day provided near-perfect conditions, with a steady 12-15 knots of breeze and flat water creating ideal racing conditions.

Tiga Tiger (341), helmed by Tom Hewitson, made an emphatic start to the regatta by winning both races on Friday and establishing an early lead.

The day's racing was followed by the Harken UK Dock Party, giving competitors a chance to relax and catch up ashore after a superb first day on the water.

Saturday: A Challenge For Tacticians

Saturday brought a complete change in conditions, with very light and highly variable winds testing the fleet's tactical skills. "A tactician's nightmare!", joked RS21 Class Manager Liam Willis.

Despite the challenging conditions, race officers successfully completed three races.

Saturday evening's barbecue, held as part of the Royal Southern Yacht Club's May Regatta, provided a lively and well-attended social gathering, with sailors from across the regatta enjoying the club's hospitality.

Sunday: Fast and Furious on Bramble Bank

The final day delivered a dramatic conclusion as the breeze built into the low 20s knot range.

It was a busy day on the Solent, with the RS21 fleet sharing the racecourse with Cape 31s, J/70s and IRC boats, making for an exciting day of racing around Bramble Bank.

The result was an action-packed and highly enjoyable finale to a memorable weekend.

New Team Joins the Fleet

One of the highlights of the event was the debut of Team Exhsail (Sail No. 290), owned by Dave and Caroline Exley.

The husband-and-wife team, well known in the RS400 class, recently purchased an RS21 and made their first appearance in the UK & IE fleet alongside another experienced RS400 pairing.

The new team made an impressive start, finishing fourth overall in their first event.

Liam Willis commented: "It's so nice to welcome another new team into the fold. They were super keen to learn, quick on the line, and placed fourth in their first RS21 class event - a very decent result!"

Overall Results: (top three, 8 races)

  • 1st - Dark & Stormy, 252
  • 2nd - Tiga Tiger, 341
  • 3rd - 5 O'Clock Somewhere, 315
Full results are available here.

The event concluded with a prize-giving supported by overall May Regatta event sponsor North Sails and RS21 UK & IE Cup sponsor Harken UK.

Reflecting on the weekend, Liam Willis said: "The RS21 UK & IE Class would like to thank the Royal Southern Yacht Club for hosting a fantastic event. It was great to be part of the May Regatta. Race management was excellent throughout the weekend, allowing the fleet to enjoy high-quality, competitive racing from the outset. We'd also like to thank the overall May Regatta event sponsors North Sails as well as the RS21 UK & IE Cup event sponsor Harken UK. Looking forward to Round 3 next on 19-21 June at Hayling Island Sailing Club."

The next stop in the 2026 RS21 UK & IE Cup promises another excellent weekend of close racing as the fleet heads to Hayling Island Sailing Club for Round 3.

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