The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Easter Challenge is a fixture in the UK’s offshore sailing calendar. Held annually over the Easter weekend in the Solent, it blends competitive racing with a strong focus on training and coaching. The Easter Challenge is designed to help crews improve their performance ahead of the Northern Hemisphere sailing season. Competitors are encouraged to test sail trim, boat handling, and manoeuvres under race conditions, while a dedicated coaching team provides support both on the water and during post-race debriefs.
Three days of high-intensity training, video debriefs, and tight racing make the RORC Easter Regatta a season-launching essential — with Easter Eggs as prizes and performance gains the real reward.
Based out of the revitalised RORC Cowes Clubhouse, this year’s event brought together over 40 boats representing eight countries across four fiercely competitive IRC classes. Leading the coaching team is Mason King, Principal of Taking The Helm, and technical support from a North Sails team headed by Ian Walker. A Yachtmaster Instructor with over 20 years of experience, King has taught Royal Yacht Association (RYA) courses at every level and specialises in modular and race training. His expertise brings both structure and insight to the coaching offered during the event.
But amid the home fleet and European contenders was a storyline that resonated across hemispheres. The return of Caro, the Botin 52 now sailing under the Swiss flag but built in New Zealand and a well-recognised competitor on New Zealand waters, marked not only her first race back in the Solent since the 2023 Rolex Fastnet win. Though the regatta is billed as a “training event,” the presence of Caro among a fleet stacked with Admiral’s Cup hopefuls (Caro will be racing for the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron for the Admiral’s Cup) added both weight and international spice to IRC One.
Good Friday set the pace for the regatta with practice starts, a technical windward-leeward race, and a Solent marks race across all classes. Despite gusty spring conditions in the Solent, many crews took advantage of the opportunity to shake off the cobwebs and run through manoeuvres, hoists, and mark roundings under the watchful eye of the coaching team.
Around 300 sailors joined the post-race video debrief at RORC’s Cowes Clubhouse. The briefing focused on what would be a key theme for the weekend: fundamentals. King emphasised to the room of skippers and tacticians:
Boat handling wins races, and good communication wins boat handling.
The coaching team shared footage from previous regattas, walked through mark rounding tactics, and challenged crews to focus on rig tune, weight placement, and clean sail handling. For many teams, particularly those with new crew combinations or updated boats, this was the first time back on the water after a winter lay-up.
Max Walker, owner of Elysium IV, the Sun Fast 3600 2.20 Fin6, which will be competing in this year’s RORC Season’s Points Championship including the Rolex Fastnet Race, commented:
There is so much to gain from this regatta. It’s rare to get coaching expertise from the likes of Ian Walker and the excellent team, I am surprised more boats do not attend. The big takeaway from on the water was better communication on board really improved our performance as a team. Also before the regatta, we talked about our plans in preparation for tough conditions. The environment of a training regatta allows us to relax and explore new areas to improve our performance.
By the end of the day, most crews had managed to blow out the winter stiffness and shake down any teething issues. With the weather expected to settle into a classic spring Solent pattern—breezy, chilly, but manageable—the scene was set for two days of tight racing, tactical calls, and invaluable lessons.
Saturday brought the first full day of racing to the Solent, with fresh westerlies delivering punchy conditions and classic Spring Series sailing. The coaching team emphasised downwind performance during the day’s debrief, focusing on hoists, drops, and mark roundings.
As is tradition, there were no silver cups awarded — just chocolate. But the real value of the RORC Easter Challenge lies in the progress made. Mason King and the North Sails team delivered tailored coaching to every level of the fleet, with many crews highlighting the one-on-one dockside debriefs and in-race observations as game-changing.
The emphasis on fundamentals — communication, boat handling, and tactical execution — paid off across all classes. Crews departed Cowes sharper, more confident, and better bonded.
Boats to watch
Among the fleet, several boats drew attention. We note that there was eight races planned for the Challenge but only six are listed: two on Friday, two on Saturday and the last two on Sunday.
IRC1
In IRC1, Jolt 3 set the pace early with wins in the first two races, with Caro coming in second. Gerd-Jan Poortman’s KER 46 (12) 3.35 #1 MOD keel, Rost – Van Uden Ker 46, claimed third place in both races but couldn’t maintain through the remaining races and fell off the top three places.
Caro set the early pace with a win in the third race, but Peter Harrison’s Jolt 3 countered immediately, taking the next race. The two 52s were clearly in a league of their own in the big-boat fleet. The Fast40+ Jolt 6, another of Harrison’s entries, also had solid races, with one third-place and one second-place finish to stay in the hunt.
In the final two races, Jolt 3 posted a 1-2 to extend its lead, while Caro felt contention slip through their fingers with 2-4 race results. Jolt 6 moved up to third overall with consistent 3-1 finishes.
IRC1 overall placings:
- Jolt 3 (Monaco), a TP52 IRC owned by Peter Harrison. Race results: 1-1-2-1-1-2; Total points: 8.
- Caro (Switzerland), a Botin 52 Custom (21) owned by Max Klink. Race results: 2-2-1-3-2-4; Total points: 14.
- Jolt 6 (Monaco) a Fast 40 owned by Peter Harrison. Race results: 4-4-3-l2-3-1; Total points: 17.
IRC2
IRC2 saw a commanding start from Garm, the Swedish JPK 1180. Per Roman’s team looked composed and fast, handling the heavy breeze with precision. Garm won the first three races but was out paced by Ireland’s, Checkmate XX, with Double-Olympic Gold Medallist Shirley Robertson at the helm and her 18-year old son Killian calling tactics, in the fourth race.
Garm‘s near-perfect streak was broken again in the fifth race, this time by Derek Shakespeare’s, J 122 2.20 Bulldog. Olympix, helmed by Hugo Gommers, showed steady improvement with two second-place finishes, moving up in the overall standings. IRC2 standings were Garm, Checkmate XX, followed by Olympix.
- GARM (Sweden), a JPK 11.80 2.35 owned by Per Roman. Race results: 1-1-1-2-6-1; Total points: 12.
- Checkmate XX (Ireland), a First 50 (06) 2.80 owned by David Cullen. Race results: 2-2-2-1-4-4; Total points: 15.
- Olympix (Netherlands), a Landmark 43 Mod keel owned by Hugo Gommer. Race results: 7-4-3-3-2-2; Total points: 21.
IRC3
The final four IRC3 races were all about David Franks’ J 112 E 2.23 Fin6, Leon, which three firsts and one second place. Unfortunately Leon had issues in the first two races with a retired and a Did Not Start, which put it out of overall contention. Leon will be a yacht to watch over the course of this season’s racing.
In the end, Alain Waha and Matt Waite’s J 99 2.10 Fin6, Further West, found her rhythm finishing at the top of the IRC3 division. The Army Sailing Association’s Fujitsu British Soldier, skippered by Lt Col Will Naylor, secured third place in overall standings, while Elysium IV finished second in overall standings.
- Further West (Britain), a J 99 2.10 Fin6 owned by Alain Waha & Matt Waite. Race results: 3-3-4-4-1-2. Total points: 17.
- Elysium IV (Britain), a Sun Fast 3600 2.20 Fin6 owned by Max Walker. Race results: 1-1-3-3-5-9; Total points: 22.
- Fujitsu British Soldier (Britain), a Sun Fast 3600 2.20 Fin6, owned by Army Sailing Association. Race results: 6-2-2-2-9-5. Total points: 26.
IRC4
In IRC4, 2 Farr came out firing, posting four wins and sending a clear message to the fleet. Olly and Sam Love’s Frank 4 pushed hard but had to settle for a second-place finishes, while Mojo Risin’ claimed third place.
- 2 FARR (Ireland), a Half Ton Farr owned by Boardman Kelly & O’Leary. Race results 1-1-1-1-2-3; Total points: 9.
- Frank 4 (Britain), a J 109 2.10, owned by Olly and Sam Love. Race results: 3-2-2-2-4-5; Total points: 18.
- Mojo Risin (Britain), a J 109 2.10 owned by Rob Cotterill. Race results: 5-3-3-3-6-6; Total points: 26.
