The Royal Southern YC Champagne Charlie Platinum Jubilee Regatta attracted sailors from far and wide to enjoy two days of racing in the Solent. Supported by Charles Heidsieck Champagne, well over 250 sailors across seven classes appreciated the splendid hospitality of the Royal Southern with its unique facilities on the banks of the River Hamble.

Saturday night featured the Platinum Jubilee Dinner with live music by The Deloreans. On Sunday the final prize-giving was held at the Clubhouse with Charles Heidsieck Champagne for every team that made the class podium. Royal Southern Rear Commodore Sailing Paul Ward, congratulated Principal Race Officer Tanya Robinson and Course Race Officers, Ian Bullock and Dan Gifford, who had organised seven classes on two courses with 43 class starts. Competing teams raced in a variety of weather; from strong winds and a significant sea state to light and shifty conditions.

The J/70 UK Class were competing in Round 2 of the 2022 Sprint Series with short sharp windward leeward races. 2021 Open National Champion, Jeepster with Graham Clapp on the stick was the winner with an outstanding performance pulling off nine consecutive bullets. Andrew Barraclough’s team of silver foxes on Jenga 8 was second and the young Royal Southern team skippered by Annabelle Body was third. Phil Taylor’s EV Expert’s put in an electric performance but failed to make the podium by just four points.

Open winner Jeepster, Corinthian winner Jenga 8, Top youth team Royal Southern YC

Josie Gliddon, the 2021 Women’s Moth World Champion, was calling tactics on Jeepster. Josie runs through the big changes over the two days. “On the first day we started with good breeze and really flat water. You could sail really Fast Upwind with a bladed top sail. There was a big gear change later on when the breeze dropped to about 12 knots, where you had to change gear; sheet really hard in and feather the boat upwind. The final day was all about the tide from a tactician’s perspective, getting in as close as you could with the course almost parallel to the shore line. It was quite interesting because it was meant to be a divergent breeze on the North Shore, but it didn’t really feel like that. You just had to look for the puffs and the big shifts. The race team did a really good job moving the course as we had 20 degree shifts in the wind on the final day.”