British Classic Week 2026 - Day 3
by James Boyd / British Classic Week 23 Jul 07:51 BST
20-25 July 2026
British Classic Week day 3 - Chris Cecil-Wright's Nicholson 55 Eager won the day's race in Class 1 © Chris Brown /
www.chrisbrownphotography.co.uk
For a third day, racing at British Classic Week was wisely delayed by the Royal Yacht Squadron race committee led by Peter Saxton in order for the southwesterly sea breeze to establish.
Wednesday also ushered in a new race format with the event's unique Pursuit Race, sponsored by Awlgrip and Marineware. In this the fleet set off upwind from the Squadron line in order of IRC TCC rating, with the slowest, Andrew Gilmour's Stella Timoa, first away at 1430 and the fastest, the German-flagged 1938 12mR Anita, last at 1505. There were nerve-racking moments as, to avoid the tide, the masterpieces of bronze and varnished teak left it until they were virtually aground off the Green before tacking.
The course sent the fleet across to the mainland shore then upwind southwest to Lepe Spit, followed by a long run northeast and some more legs, zigzagging their way around the Brambles Bank. Unlike most pursuit races in which boats converge on a finish line, in British Classic Week's version relative boat positions are recorded at a specific time - 1630.
While the race started in around 10 knots, by the end it had built to 15 with localised gusts - enough to broach Harry J Heijst's S&S 41 Winsome.
The race ultimately was won by David Heritage's West Solent One Design Harlequin. Having started in 14th she surged into the lead at the penultimate mark - a good continuation of her centenary celebrations.
"It was a cracking day and a really good race," commented Heritage. "A nice breeze came in. We had a really good first beat and got a bit of space and we just caught Timoa on the last mark we went around.
"This is the best regatta - it's relaxed, but full on. Everybody has a huge appreciation for wooden boats.There's a great race program - long races, short races, round the islands, etc. And they're patience enough to wait for the wind to come in. And it's nice and warm, shorts and T-shirt stuff."
Following Harlequin, Timoa was second overall, followed by two more WSODs Claire Locke's Enchanted third and Tim Yetman's Enchanted.
While Heritage steered Harlequin, most entries were today helmed by either women or under 25s. For example Timoa was steered by Victoria Theaker, while Enchanted already had a female helm, and Abby Childerley, taking the tiller on Enchanted today, was first Under 25 helm to finish.
The finish order was extrapolated into classes and in Class One it was again Chris Cecil-Wright's turboed Nicholson 55 Eager that came out on top, ahead of the Anthony family's Spirit 46 Dido and Winsome.
On Dido helming today was Anthony's daughter Becca, while navigating was Lizzie Farringdon. The two recently won the Women's Open Keelboat Championship, following their time in SB20s and were ably assisted by yacht designer John Corby, who redesigned Dido's rudder.
"We did many, many tacks," reminisced Daniel Anthony. "Having given up the helm to Rebecca I learned what it was to be a trimmer doing the Green again after many years... Then we had a lovely Code Zero reach all the way across to the mainland. We made no real mistakes in particular - everything seemed to work well really. Then we had a very short upwind and the kite managed to get packed in time only because Suzie did it. What a beautiful day on the water. The wind was good the whole way round."
In Class Two Richard Haines' 1931 Fife 8m Saskia finished ahead of David Murren's 36ft Laurent Giles design Cetewayo with Anthony O'Leary's Berthon 49 Northele third - her best result to date. A second bullet for Saskia leaves her leading Class Two.
"It's always fun," commented Saskia's tactician Graham Sunderland. "I really enjoyed it - we're one of the fastest boats so haven't had many traffic problems, but today, of course, loads of people started in front of us. You had to manage the lanes - like a game of chess thinking three or four moves ahead... Beating up the Green trying to keep the boat off the rocks was a bit scary especially as our instrument calibration needs work! It was a really good test for Richard [Haines] and all of us learning how to sail the boat."
Some star crew are racing this week, among them British Sail GP and America's Cup team sailor Hattie Rogers, of Lymington's famous Rogers clan (including the late Jeremy, eminent yacht racer and one time builder of Contessa production yachts).
Hattie commented: "It's nice to do lots of different types of sailing and meeting a completely different group of people - that's why sailing's so cool - it makes you a much more rounded sailor. I'm just trying to make the boat go faster." Only at a more leisurely pace than the flying machines she usually sails. "Cetewayo's pretty tricked up. Despite being a classic, she's got load cells and is tweaky - they're beautiful to look at, but classics can be quite deceiving..."
Hattie in fact today was beaten by her cousin Finn Rogers, who finished a place ahead of Cetewayo, 15th in the overall results, at the helm of Eager. "I'm really pleased for them," she said (through gritted teeth).
In Class 3 Regatta Director Giovanni Belgrano scored a second consecutive bullet aboard his 1939 Laurent Giles Whooper, finishing ahead of Fenton Burgin's Ander-designed 6mR Sioma II and Richard Hargreaves' 30 Square Metre Aeolus.
Overall winner Harlequin naturally claimed Class 4 ahead of Suvretta and Malcolm Offord's 1968 S&S design Volonte.
A second consecutive bullet for Timoa in Class 5 today sees her holding the largest class lead on four points with a tightly grouped pack fighting for the remaining podium positions, led by Tom Richardson's She 31 Arctic Skua on 11.
"It was an interesting day because I think we were roughly where we should be," commented Tom Richardson. "But it was also a day to actually discover how the ratings work. For instance, the boats that rate lower than us go just as fast upwind..." Notably potent in this class is the oldest in the fleet: Ossie Stewart and Damon Roberts' 1894 vintage gaffer Dorothy, which finished second in class today and would be rivalling Timoa were it not retiring from yesterday's race.
It is only recently that GRP boats such as Arctic Skua and Eager have been allowed to compete in British Classic Week. Richardson is delighted: "I hope my father Mike is looking down to see his old boat racing again. We sailed it together originally after we built her from a bare hull. which we bought from Earl's Court [Boat Show]. It was the first boat we built at the Elephant. He was a demon helm. In her first year, 1970, the first year of Solent Points, she won everything."
Racing continues tomorrow with another inshore, sponsored by Pantaenius Sail and Motor Yacht Insurance. The start is once again likely to be postponed.