Royal Solent Yacht Club Contessa Regatta 2026 Preview
by Peter Le Masurier 14 Apr 10:14 BST
26-28 June 2026
Royal Solent Yacht Club Contessa Regatta © RSYC
A packed programme afloat and ashore awaits competitors at this year's RSYC Contessa Regatta, taking place at the Royal Solent Yacht Club in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight from 26 - 28 June 2026.
Discounted early bird entry is now open via the Club's website and it is anticipated that the racing fleet will dramatically increase this season for the 60th anniversary of the Contessa. Enter online here.
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Contessa, which started with the launch of the Contessa 26 in 1966, lead regatta sponsor Jeremy Rogers boatyard is launching a bespoke gin, appropriately named, Contessa Gin. All regatta entries will receive a complimentary bottle, plus those early birds who enter before 13 May will have their bottle personalised with the name of their boat.
Simon Rogers, Managing Director of Jeremy Rogers Limited, enthused: "We are so happy to be sponsoring another all Contessa regatta for the 60th Anniversary year and are hoping for a record turnout. As the new MD of Jeremy Rogers Limited, I personally am looking forward to meeting lots of new faces, and some familiar ones. I'll be joined by my brother Kit on Assent and we are looking forward to a great event, both on and off the water."
The new Contessa Gin is being distilled in collaboration with local Lymington company Eight Two O Spirits and is packed with botanicals sourced from the New Forest.
The Royal Solent Yacht Club in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, will provide five races over the weekend in the Western Solent. A packed schedule of shore-based entertainment is also planned in conjunction with the event's lead sponsors, Jeremy Rogers Limited and Maison Louis Jadot, and supported by Hall Hunter Partnership who have provided summer berries for the weekend and also sponsor the Royal Solent's two automated racing marks.
The four racing divisions feature Contessa 32 (Inshore Points Series 2), Contessa 28 (National Championships), Contessa 26 (National Championships) and - racing together under NHC - Contessas 35, 38, 39 and 43. Contessa sailors are a notoriously social bunch, so non-racing Contessa boats and crews are also invited to join the event's shore-side activities. Plus, while the racing fleet completes three races on Saturday, the non-racing Contessas will be equally challenged by an innovative sailing treasure hunt.
The regatta opens on Friday evening with a Louis Jadot Drinks Reception on the RSYC's beachfront lawn and, on Saturday evening, a Rum Punch Party hosted by Jeremy Rogers Limited is followed by supper and live music at the Club.
Following two races on Sunday, the prize-giving will be held at the Club with each class-winner taking home a magnum of Louis Jadot, with a jeroboam for the regatta's overall winner.
RSYC Commodore, John Poyner, said: "We are delighted to host this much loved event once again here in Yarmouth, where the Solent provides a uniquely challenging and rewarding arena for racing. The Contessa fleet holds a special place in the heart of this Club. These beautifully balanced, seaworthy yachts built by regatta sponsors, Jeremy Rogers Limited, represent not only fine design but a community of sailors who return year after year with enthusiasm, camaraderie, and a healthy appetite for competition. It is a pleasure to welcome you all."
The Royal Solent Yacht Club, Jeremy Rogers Limited and Maison Louis Jadot are looking forward to hosting another classic Contessa regatta both on and off the water.
Please see the Notice of Race for the RSYC Contessa Regatta 2026.