Among the lineup on the Solent this weekend for the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s IRC National Championship is the Cape 31 Antix, skippered by Royal Cork's Anthony O’Leary, who won the IRC Nationals in 2014.

And it looks like the fleet is due for some lively racing. The wind is forecast to be gusting into the mid-20s.

As usual for this leading championship for the RORC/UNCL-owned yacht rating system, the fleet is a diverse one. The longest and highest rated is the Ker 46 Van Uden (IRC TCC: 1.284), her Dutch crew led by round the world sailor Gerd-Jan Poortman, while lowest rated in IRC Three is Kevin Downer's heavily modified Fun 23 Ziggy (IRC TCC of 0.871). 

The 24th UK IRC National Championship will take place in the Solent from 10-12th June 2022 Photo: Paul Wyeth

Kevin Downer's Fun 23 Ziggy is competing in IRC Three Photo: Paul Wyeth

Gerd-Jan Poortman will lead the Dutch team on the Ker 46 Van Uden Photo: Paul Wyeth

The top end of the fleet is an international one, with Van Uden joined by Solent regulars, the de Graaf family, aboard their Ker 43 Baraka GP, while from Sweden are Filip Engelbert’s Ker 40+ Elvis and Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 40 Ràn VII. All are in IRC One which is effectively the new Grand Prix Zero class for this event, catering for grand prix racing yachts of 37-50ft, or specifically in this case, the two Dutch Kers to the two IC37s, Robert Bicket's Fargo and Nick Griffith's Icy.

While Ràn VII is considered favourite in the Grand Prix Zero class, nipping at her heels this weekend will be Dark N Stormy, the GP42 better known from the FAST40+ as Jubilee, now campaigned by well-known industry figure Ian Atkins. The aim of Grand Prix Zero is to reignite racing under IRC at this size range both in the UK and abroad. Atkins explains that he and Class Manager Nick Bonner “looked around and counted 13 highly competitive, well sailed boats between 40-50ft and said ‘let’s create a framework for them to operate within’.” The formula is working: It has encouraged Elvis back out on to the water, while at the Vice Admiral’s Cup, the racing could not have been more competitive. “We won one race by one second and lost another by two seconds - it is really is great racing,” Atkins recalls.

Nick Griffith's IC37 Icy racing in IRC One Photo: Rick Tomlinson

Niklas Zennström’s Carkeek 40 Ràn VII Photo: Paul Wyeth 

Filip Engelbert’s Ker 40+ Elvis Photo: Paul Wyeth

IRC Two class sees a mix of Performance 40s and nine Cape 31s. The former fleet is being led by ex-RORC Admiral and Commodore Andrew McIrvine’s Ker 39 La Réponse and includes long term campaigners the Blair family on their King 40 Cobra; Jean-Eudes Renier and Rob Bottomley on the MAT 12 Sailplane; plus from Belgium, Jan Gabriel’s Mills 37 Ragazza IV and the pair of First 40s, Ronan Banim's Galahad of Cowes and Richard Powell’s Rogan Josh. 

Aside from being the one design ‘of the moment’, the South African-born Cape 31 began its life on UK shores competing in the IRC fleet. One of its objectives is success both as a one design and under corrected time within a broader fleet. One of the hot Cape 31s competing is Michael Bartholemew’s Tokoloshe 4, the present runaway leader of the UK circuit after three events and class winner at May’s Vice Admiral’s Cup. Among the Cape 31 line-up is also Antix, sailed by well known Irishman Anthony O’Leary, who won the IRC Nationals in 2014 with his Ker 39 (now La Réponse). New faces in the fleet this weekend will include Charlie Whelan on Jubilee and Richard Davies on Gallivanter III. 

IRC Two - Jan Gabriel’s Mills 37 Ragazza IV Photo: Paul Wyeth

Adam Gosling's JPK 10.80 Yes! Photo: Paul Wyeth

Due to the egalitarian nature of IRC, winners are as likely to be among the big boats as the small, and among the latter in IRC Three are two past IRC National Championship winners. Adam Gosling jointly won in 2016 aboard his then new JPK 10.80 Yes! Surprisingly, having owned a JPK 11.80 in the interim, he returns in the same boat having re-acquired her during lock-down. “It is better than an old girlfriend because this is as good as I remember it!” quips Gosling. In fact, of the many boats he has owned, this was also one of his most successful having also won the Round the Island Race’s Gold Roman Bowl in 2017. The Yes! crew has remained the same for the last three seasons says Gosling. This could be the year when they rectify their semi-win from six years ago. “It will come down to whoever sails best and if it is light the smaller boats may benefit and, if there’s breeze, the big boats can get away a bit.”

John Howell and Paul Newell’s A-35 Arcus Photo: Paul Wyeth

While the 1.061 IRC TCC for Yes! makes her speediest yacht in IRC Three, she will face a challenge from another more recent outright IRC Nationals winner. John Howell and Paul Newell’s A-35 Arcus claimed the title, mid-lockdown in 2020. On that occasion, Arcus was new to the team made up of several father-son duos, whose origins are on Great More Sailing Club in Buckingham.

“We have moved forward - we have learned a lot about the boat,” says Newell of how they have progressed. “We have tried to optimise her a little bit more, which hopefully will pay dividends. We have also tried to do a bit of training rather than just racing.” To this end, they have upped their game with input from renowned coach Mark Rushall. “His input was just invaluable. If we can capture some of that and can convert it on the water…” muses Newell. Aside from becoming IRC National Champions, Hamble-based Arcus has come close to winning Black Group at Cowes Week. “We like to surprise people because we are a bunch of puddle sailors from the middle of the country.”

Racing will get underway with a first warning signal on Friday at 1125 and at 1025 on Saturday and Sunday.