Cowes-based yacht ‘Leon’ dominated IRC 2 at the RORC Easter Challenge, securing class victory after an impressive weekend of racing in the Solent.
More than 200 sailors took part in the RORC Easter Challenge Regatta over the Easter weekend, facing a mix of strong winds and shifting conditions.
Friday’s racing saw gusty south-westerly winds of 15 to 30 knots produce exhilarating conditions. Competitors took part in practice starts, a technical windward-leeward race and a Solent marks race, organised by Stuart Childerley and the RORC Race Team.
Cowes-based David Franks’ J/112 Leon made an immediate impact in IRC 2, winning both races. In the opening contest, Leon secured victory by 3 minutes and 51 seconds on corrected time ahead of the Army Sailing Association’s Fujitsu British Soldier.
After racing, crews gathered at the RORC Cowes Clubhouse for a detailed debrief led by coaching coordinator Richard Moxey, Olympian Vita Heathcote, North Sails’ Ronan Grealish and coach Phil Deveraux.
Saturday brought another testing day, with 12 to 20 knots of south-westerly breeze. Three short windward-leeward races were held in the Eastern Solent, with Leon maintaining a flawless record by winning all three.
On Easter Sunday, two further races took place in bright sunshine. A steady westerly breeze eased and shifted north throughout the day, creating tactical challenges for crews.
Despite being denied a clean sweep in the final race—pipped by Derek Shakespeare’s improving Bulldog—Leon had already done enough to secure overall victory in IRC 2.
At the prizegiving, hosted by RORC Vice Commodore Derek Shakespeare, trophies were awarded across all classes.
In IRC 1, Standfast (Simon Patterson) took top honours, followed by Braveheart (Malcolm Offord) and Baraka GP (De Graaf family).
IRC 2 saw Leon (David Franks) crowned winner, ahead of Fujitsu British Soldier (British Army) and Bulldog (Derek Shakespeare).
In IRC 3, Jukebox (John Smart) finished first, with Frank 4 (Oliver Love) second and Winsome (Harry Heijst, Netherlands) third.
David Franks, a Cowes resident, also runs the Cowes Match Racing for Young People scheme, helping develop the next generation of sailors—many of whom have progressed to world-class competition.
Leon is now set to compete in this year’s Round the Island Race.
