Big Solent test as Isle of Wight hosts RORC Easter Challenge

The three‑day regatta, starting on Friday, April 3, and hosted from the RORC’s Cowes clubhouse, is widely regarded as the most effective way for crews to sharpen their performances before the summer race season gets underway.

It combines competitive short‑course racing, with expert coaching.

Entry fees begin at under £500 for a 40ft boat, making it one of the most accessible high‑level training opportunities on the calendar.

Training on The Solent (Image: Paul Wyeth)

Across Good Friday to Easter Sunday, teams will take on a series of short, intense Solent races, before heading ashore each evening for detailed video debriefs and technical coaching sessions.

RORC racing manager, Chris Jackson, said the blend of pressure racing and structured development has made the Easter Challenge a fixture for both Corinthian and professional teams.

He said it offers the ideal mix of testing Solent conditions, real race starts and mark roundings, and the chance to review every move afterwards.

“The Easter Challenge is about improving performance as much as competing. It is the ideal way to start the season,” Chris adds.

Leading the on‑the‑water coaching programme is Richard Moxey, former national keelboat development manager at the Royal Yachting Association (RYA).

His team shadows the racing from RIBs, capturing video, drone footage and data, before presenting it back to crews.

Richard said the ability to provide coaching during an IRC regatta is rare and hugely valuable, creating a collaborative environment where learning is prioritised alongside competition.

This year, boats particularly keen on coaching, will fly a RORC flag, allowing his team to focus their attention.

Expertise spans crew work, sail trim, tactics and strategy, while Admiral’s Cup race officer Stuart Childerley will set varied courses designed to replicate real‑world offshore scenarios, as well as classic windward‑leeward racing.

Richard said seeing a boat’s performance from outside the cockpit often reveals small adjustments that deliver significant gains, especially during starts, mark roundings and sail changes.

He added that The Solent remains one of the most technical race areas in the world, and mastering its complex tides, geography and shifting breezes is invaluable for any crew planning a busy offshore season.

"It is rare to receive coaching during an IRC regatta, so it is a great opportunity for teams who are not used to having someone analyse their performance," Richard said.

"And the competitors are often just as focused on improving, as they are on winning."