On a sparkling July weekend, normal service was resumed in the Solent as a classic south-westerly sea breeze and brilliant blue skies delivered some of the finest weekend racing of the season so far. Saturday 4 July With a baseline breeze of 18–22 knots and gusts prompting Flag Yankee, the fleet was treated to hard, fast, and tactical racing across two challenging. Race 1 Polly's Challenge; Prince Consort; RORC; Ben F Wood; W Ryde Middle; Finish The weekend nearly started with several bangs...

On Saturday, I was pleased to join Chris Torrens and his family (Oliver and Perdy Light) on Defender. The Darings were also joined on Saturday by a Norwegian sailor from the Fredrikstad IOD fleet, who I had last met racing in Bermuda in May and to whom I had issued an open invitation to join us in Cowes on his way back across the Atlantic. Having made contact from Studland Bay on Thursday night, we made arrangements and Chris Preston's crew on Destroyer were gracious hosts. Unfortunately I...

There's been a few things on since I last wrote, so I hope that you'll be patient before getting this weekend's race report! On 13 June, Darling won both shoreline races to take the Cory Cup. She was representing RORC, as befits Mike Greville's status as ex-Admiral. I watched the second half of the first race from on board Division Belle, who you may have observed having been launched just outside of the breakwater. While I was watching, Doublet was having a good race downwind against...