East Anglian Offshore Racing Association triumph for Warrior in RORC North Sea Race 2026
by Paul Wood 21 May 06:22 PDT
EAORA members Simon Farren and Ben Harden in RORC North Sea Race © Matt Payne
Congratulations to Simon Farren and Ben Harden, competing two-handed in Simon's A40 Warrior, for winning the Charlie Mills Memorial Trophy for the best performing East Anglian Offshore Racing Association boat in the RORC North Sea Race.
Warrior finished fifth overall and third in the two-handed division, only 12 minutes behind the Dutch winner of this annual 165-mile classic from Harwich to Scheveningen.
Simon won EAORA overall in 2025 racing Warrior fully crewed and it was a tough call to take on this racing machine two-handed. Ben, a National Blaze champion, is the son of Digger Harden from Burnham on Crouch, a well-known figure on the East Coast racing scene. In the later part of the race there was a long spinnaker leg where Simon and Ben gained some good ground against the fully crewed boats.
Warrior has made a great start to the 2026 EAORA season, leading the points table with two wins and a third place after four races, all sailed as two handed.
EAORA boats also taking part in the North Sea Race were Arcadia of Harwich, Mark and Penny Gillet's Arcona 400, and former overall winner of the race, Paul Scott's Sigma 38 Spirit.
The Charlie Mills Trophy was first presented in 2007 in memory of former EAORA chairman Charlie, who made a huge contribution to EAORA and helped to shape the format which lives on. The North Sea Race was his favourite challenge.
The next event in the EAORA calendar is the RORC East Coast Race from Harwich to Breskens on June 20, which marks the start of EAORA Week - a travelling regatta held among the sheltered inland waters and historic ports of the Zeeland Delta.
Full details at www.eaora.org.uk