Noble Marine Solo Nation's Cup 2026 Preview
by Will Loy 30 May 06:00 BST
4-7 June 2026
Noble Marine Solo Nation's Cup 2026 - NSCA Event T shirts should make the fleet look smarter © Will Loy
We are just one week away from the start of the Noble Marine Solo Nation's Cup (June 4-7) and with 45 pre-entries, the team at the Institut National du Nautisme in Quiberon are gearing up for four days of hot competition.
The club recently hosted the 49er, 49erFX and Nacra World Championships, the range of conditions providing thrills, spills and non stop action, all captured in stunning high definition thanks to the skills of the many drone pilots that were operating the best in cutting edge tech. If you have not yet seen their YouTube videos then do strap yourself in and enjoy. I was looking forward to launching the NSCA DJI Mini 3 in to the teeth of the afternoon mistral and had spent many hours watching tutorials on how to get the best from the drone, only pausing occasionally to switch to 'best drone crashes of 2025' for some light relief. It was then a disappointment to be told by the club just this week that authorisation would be almost impossible to obtain and we should contact some local drone companies instead. Therefore I have had to lower my own personal expectations of the finished event video and will now concentrate on the written word, WhatsApp commentary and video race action if a rib can get me close to the action. I do hope Royal Torbay will be more flexible in August.
Quiberon is generally blessed with warm temperatures and an afternoon thermally induced breeze, just like most of the UK right now but you know it will not last.
Unfortunately it appears that early June is not the best time to tempt the Dutch fleet away from the IJsselmeer, chips with mayo and the legendary cheese balls just a few very good reasons, but they have much strength in depth and have sent a small but potent force to the South of France. Top of the squad is Menno Huisman, tall, athletic and as handsome as Val Doonican in his prime, he finished second in Como last year but will want to get one over on his nemesis that regatta, Tom Gillard who will be defending the Nation's Cup in the name of the King.
Michiel De Boer showed glimpses of form in Italy once he got his sail up and will be one to watch along with Jan Pieter Braam though the Dutch have a habit of turning up with Olympian grade sailors with some regularity. What is certain is that they will all be tall, fit and fortunately, friendly. A few man sized beers should dull their reflexes as the regatta unravels.
Alex Butler has a sort of Red Arrow pilot aura about him and will certainly feature in my top five come the final day while Chris Brown, who has swapped out to the Winder 2 is finding the speed that saw him win the Inlands five years ago though it may be the addition of his CB Ultimate Hikers that are making the difference. Chris Bunn has swapped to a Superspar M2 and this seems to have turned his frown upside down and he also has his wingman and fellow Norfolk compatriot Matthew Frary with him so it really does not matter how they do on the water, outdrinking the Dutch is a given.
Salcombe, possibly the best club in the World have sent at least two of their squad though the last time I saw Roger Guess he was capsizing just off the race box with a packed audience watching on, it truly is a theatre of dreams.
Fortunately Simon Dobson is also attending and has the skills to keep the points total low releasing Guess to look for the glory of the odd bullet. Two of the top brass will be competing, NSCA President Guy Mayger is still to enter but since he is bringing the Champagne and T shirts, I have to assume he will be racing. NSCA Vice President Paul Davis has kept his powder dry this season but was impressive in the Boatyard at Beer, Impact Marine driven Solo in 2025 and is still to unveil his home built FRP weapon, I doubt he will choose Quiberon.
The ladies title will be fascinating, Justine Davenport taking on Maria Franco Ferro, it is just a shame the Dutch were unable to send at least one of their own though entry is still open so lets wait until the games begin.
Noble Marine support the Solo class throughout the year and have been our class insurer since 1995 so we are not only celebrating 70 years of Solo sailing, it's 31 years of Noble Marine insurance cover too.
While the midday French sunshine may beat down on the competitors, Noble Marine caps will provide perfect product awareness while protecting any bald or thinning thatches and their are a few in this fleet.
Lifejacket Skin Protection have provided some packs of their excellent product, I can only assume they will be awarded to those pale and possibly ginger though everyone needs this kind of protection.
The NSCA are providing the elusive event T shirts to the first 50 entries which means I again miss out so I will have to try and fit into one of the dozen or so I collected, I still regret chucking out my Hoorn 1984 shirt, that said, wearing it would be more than a stretch.
I understand there will be spot prizes and Guy Mayger is supplying the bubbly though he should note I prefer a nice southern hemisphere Pinot Grigio.
The stand-out social event will be the Gala dinner and I am pushing the team to provide a prize for the best dressed sailor which has Martin Honnor written all over it having seen him turn up at an AGM once in a jacket, only the Salcombe guys will be a threat.
So we look forward to a memorable event which is being shared with some Contenders and some Finns, I just hope there is enough room in the Bay for us all.