By Ollie Dewar

The 16th edition of The Royal Solent Yacht Club’s Taittinger Royal Solent Yacht Club Regatta featured nearly 200 boats racing in the western Solent over the weekend.

Both the Black Group and White Group (94 boats in each) start lines were on the mainland shore with a short postponement prior to the first race on Saturday, while the light, south-westerly wind filled in for both of the day’s races, with just one race on Sunday in a fickle, but raceable, breeze.

Father-and-son Michael and Sebastian Blair in their King 40 Cobra won IRC 1 overall in this intensely competitive, 19-boat class, and summarised the regatta’s overall atmosphere. Michael said: “There was some really tough opposition. Luna is extremely good, then there’s Sunrise and Dawn Treader, which are both exceptional boats.”

The Blairs and their crew had a 1-4-1 scorecard, and take their racing very seriously. With Michael adding: “We’ve managed to win just about everything this year, and just used very clever tactics at the Taittingers!

“We really enjoyed it, it’s a tremendous club and event and the crew certainly enjoyed all the parties over the weekend!”