SOLENT ON FIRE: SB20 CHAMPIONS SHINE AT THE NATIONALS AND COWES WEEK

The Solent has put on an absolute cracker for the SB20 fleet during the Rovika Open UK Nationals and the 200th edition of North Sails Cowes Week. With over 30 boats for the Nationals and over 20 boats for Cowes Week the Class has welcomed a resurgence not seen in nearly a decade. The SB20 UK fleet showed that tactical, tight-knit one-design racing is roaring back into the spotlight!

Conditions across both regattas served up the ultimate Solent buffet, testing every gear in the box. The Nationals kicked off with a fast-and-furious three-race Sprint Series in 18 to 24 knots, where Mark Gillett, Paul Hine and Richard Anderton on PBII ORO Racing team put on a masterclass in consistency to take the warm-up win, alongside a sprint race victory for Eirini Marios’s female team on Ares.

Heavy weather truly asserted itself on Day 1 of the Nationals, forcing the RO Peter Taylor to keep the fleet ashore as gusts topped 27 knots across the Solent. The weather settled for classic champagne sea breezes on Day 2, before wrapping up with a light, shifty 6 to 11-knot tactical shootout on the final day. Cowes Week picked up the mantle with glass-like morning postponements giving way to building sea breezes, wall-to-wall sunshine and a mid-week low-pressure system that kept the fleet on their toes.

XCELLENT & Glasgow Kiss claim the glory

At the Rovika Open UK Nationals, reigning World Champion John Pollard and his rockstar XCELLENT crew (Henry Wetherell – who scored his third UK National title this year and the 2026 SB20 Australian winning tactician David Chapman) put on a masterclass. Dominating a stacked 31-boat international fleet, team XCELLENT stamped authority with six incredible bullets to capture both the UK National and Open titles (*see full event results at the bottom of the page ⬇️).

“High calibre Nationals sailed on the mighty Solent with full-range conditions. Team XCELLENT was on point with expert starts and strategy throughout… Super pleased to take the win in a tight fleet with plenty of champions on the line. A fantastic event and what a fleet with a great dockside atmosphere!”

— said John Pollard.

The drama only escalated as the fleet rolled straight into Cowes Week, where Nils Razmilovic on Glasgow Kiss (sailing with David Salembier and Marcus Tressler) took centre stage! Hot off a 2nd place finish at the Nationals, Nils brought unmatched local mileage to sweep both the Grand Slam and Mini Slam titles after an intense week-long duels.

“We’re just enjoying the sailing! It’s been a super week out on the water. Having friends and family around – it’s just been absolutely fabulous! You really couldn’t ask for a better week of Solent racing.”

— shared Nils Razmilovic.

Razor-sharp racing & international heat

The podium battles were relentless. Mark Gillett, helming PBII ORO Racing Team – after topping the Sprint Series and their 2nd GBR boat at the Nationals – kept Glasgow Kiss under intense pressure right down to the final race at Cowes Week.

“Competing at the top of this Class is ridiculously tight. On PBII ORO Racing we took on the Grand Slam’s final day challenge aiming to beat Nils in every race – which we nearly did – but he snuck ahead to secure the win. Huge congratulations to Nils and  the team!”

— noted Mark Gillett.

Top international contenders used the Solent as their ultimate training ground ahead of the 2026 Worlds in France. French Class President Ed Russo (Skin in the Game) and French SB20 dealer Pierre-Yves Lambert (Lynx) brought serious heat from Hyères, while the Australian SB20 President Paul McCartney alongside Aussie sailing talents – Will Sargent and Sam Tiedemann (Porco Rosso) took 3rd overall at the Open Nationals. The overseas pressure didn’t stop there – Singapore brought another team of Daire O’Reilly on The Incident, who crossed in a commanding 2nd place in Race 7.  The international list was completed by a spirited Belgian Youth squad on North Sea Collective who topped the Youth category and brought the fun of SB20 Europeans 2025 into the fleet.

Eirini Marios’s Australian crew on Ares kept the pressure on the frontrunners throughout Cowes Week, having shown their teeth winning the opening Race of Cowes Week. Joining the action for Cowes Week was the mixed RSZV CAMPAGNE team from Rotterdam aboard Den Boer CCI, who threw themselves into the racing and legendary dockside socials alike. This international contingent pushed the UK fleet to its limits across both championships serving as a reminder of what to expect later this year at the Worlds in Hyères.

At Cowes Week, returning UK legend Jono Shelley stepped into Charlie Whelan’s new Devoti boat on Saturn Sails with his Musto Skiff mates Jamie Hilton and Ben Schooking, banking back-to-back bullets on the final day to secure 3rd overall!

“We stepped into a highly competitive Class with National and World champions on almost every boat… The Glasgow Kiss crew were a cut above and PBII delivered fantastic speed. We’re definitely hooked again!”

— shared Jono Shelley.

Race management masterclass with Vakaros

Utilising Vakaros RaceSense transformed race management across both events, keeping the action slick and sparing the fleet from endless general recalls. The Royal London Yacht Club Race Officer Peter Taylor put the system to work straight away during the UK Nationals, squeezing in four rapid-fire races on the final day within a tight, shifting breeze – instantly catching OCS boats without needing a single general recall.

The final day’s morning opened under an agonising, glassy 3-knot breeze with four scheduled races still to play and a hard 15:00 cut-off looming. Squeezing in three rapid-fire races, the RC pulled off the ultimate triumph: starting the 4th and final race at 14:55 – just 5 minutes before the deadline! Building on that success at Cowes Week, RaceSense kept the high-tempo starts moving seamlessly, though Cowes Week wasn’t without its dramatic moments.

“Vakaros RaceSense was a complete game-changer across both regattas. On the final day of the Nationals, it kept the racing razor-sharp and eliminated general recall delays entirely. Squeezing in all four races and starting the last one at 14:55 simply wouldn’t have happened without it!”

— highlighted Charlie Whelan.

All eyes on Torquay 2027!

Beyond the action on the water, the UK fleet’s signature welcoming culture was on full display. Visiting teams were embraced with open arms, shared sailing tips and legendary dockside socials.

With fantastic sponsorship from ROVIKA for this Open UK Nationals, epic vibes on and off the water and world-class racing, the UK Class is dead serious about hosting the 2027 World Championship in Torquay in the hands of a talented and highly motivated team. Massive credit to the UK SB20 Class team, whose enthusiasm and relentless drive behind the scenes brought these two amazing regattas to life.

Looking ahead, the 2027 UK Open Nationals are already scheduled at the Royal Southern Yacht Club just two weeks before Cowes Week – giving the international SB20 fleet a perfect opportunity to experience the magic of the Solent and prepare for the Worlds in top fleet. If you need more info, please contact the UK Class directly.

Full winners list

Grand Slam results

Mini Slam results

Photo credits: Paul Wyeth