Looking forward to the 100th Solution class event
by Kathryn Clark 12 Jul 15:41 BST
11 Solutions for the Seafarers SC open meeting in 2007 © Solution Class
When eight Solution sailors gathered on the shore of Hunts SC for the
very first Solution open meeting, none of them could have imagined
what the next two decades would bring.
That modest fleet on a
Cambridgeshire lake marked the start of a story that would grow far
beyond those early expectations — new sailors, new venues, national
champions, close battles, long drives, and a class community that has
quietly but steadily built something special. Now, as we approach our
100th open meeting at the end of July, it feels like the perfect
moment to look back at how far we've come and to celebrate the people
who made it happen.
Over 150 sailors from almost 75 different clubs have entered Solution
open meetings over the years, with more than 820 individual entries.
Over 80% of entries were travellers sailing away from their home club,
and nearly two thirds competed in more than one event.
The most
frequent flyer in the class is Kathryn Clark with 85 events and
counting. Delph SC has produced the most Solution travellers with 11
different members entering at least one event.
The class has visited 34 different venues, with more than half earning
at least one repeat visit. The most visited venue has been Bala SC,
where we've been 11 times, starting with the very first national
championship back in 2007. 3 clubs are tied for most popular nationals
venue: Felpham, Lee on Solent and Gunfleet have each hosted 3 national
championships.
The most important question in all this data analysis is which
Solution sailor is top of the pops? There are a few contenders
depending upon how you want to define the best. There's Andy McKee,
first ever national champion, who dominated the early years of the
class. But looking back, he only entered 7 events and wasn't the
victor in all of them.
Another option could be Christian Smart; he won
12 of the 13 events he entered, an impressive 92% conversion rate.
Then there's the current National Champion, Ian Morgan. He's won 9 of
10 events so far - only 90% conversion rate but still growing... unless
Jon Steward can put another dent in that at the 100th open.
Arguably
though, the Solution Class G.O.A.T. has to be Kevin Clark: with 20
first places and 38 podium finishes, it'll be a while before anyone
else can touch that record.
As we celebrate everything the class has achieved — the sailors, the
venues, the champions, the near misses, the long drives, the
friendships, and the occasional swim — the 100th open meeting feels
like the perfect moment to bring everyone together again. Whether
you've raced once, raced every year, or haven't been on a Solution
start line for a while, this milestone event is for you.
The 100th Solution Open Meeting will take place at Carsington Sailing
Club on 25-26 July 2026, and we're aiming to make it the biggest and
most enjoyable gathering the class has ever hosted. To mark the
occasion, every sailor who pre-enters by 16 July will receive a free
commemorative gift, our way of saying thank you for being part of the
journey.
Pre-entry is now open — you can sign up with Carsington Sailing Club.
Here's to the next hundred!