J/99 & J/122 Podium in RORC North Sea Race

ByStuart Johnstone

(Cowes, England)- The world’s largest offshore racing series, the RORC Season’s Points Championship, continued on the 15th of May 2026. First raced in 1931, the RORC North Sea Race is one of the Club’s longest-standing offshore races, linking the UK and the Netherlands. Starting from outside the Royal Harwich Yacht Club across a demanding 165.0nm North Sea course, the race finished off Scheveningen, Netherlands.

The North Sea Race is a serious offshore test with strong tides, sandbanks, commercial traffic, wind farms, and shifting North Sea weather all playing their part. Crews must balance tidal strategy, VMG/VMC, and boat speed while negotiating restricted areas and shipping lanes. Key decision points include the sandbanks near the start, the approach to Smith’s Knoll, and the complexity of the finish off the Dutch coast.

This year’s 2026 North Sea Race was shaped by steady conditions and long downwind legs. J/Teams fared well against their “wedges of cheese” competitors.

IRC 2 Division
Frans van Cappelle & Michelle Witsenburg’s J/122 MOANA took bronze in IRC 2, finishing just over ten minutes behind silver. MOANA continues to be a consistent podium performer in Dutch offshore racing.

IRC 3 Division
Jan Scholtes’ J/99 WARP 5 earned bronze in IRC 3 and placed fourth overall despite weather challenges for smaller boats.

RORC Race Officer Chris Jackson, who was in Harwich for the start and Scheveningen for the finish, commented on what mattered for a good performance in the North Sea Race.

“This edition of the North Sea Race had great fleet conditions and a very settled wind, making sail trim crucial,” commented Jackson. “Aside from the beat to Smith’s Knoll, it was mostly reaching and downwind angles, requiring lots of trimming all night. This was especially hard for short-handed teams. The fleet remained ahead of lighter air and held good pressure. They did their routing, planned their tides, and took their chances. Royal Harwich Yacht Club provided a warm welcome, and Yacht Club Scheveningen hosted a great prize giving, rounding off a great edition. Congratulations to all class winners.”

The 2026 RORC Season’s Points Championship continues with the Myth of Malham Race, starting from Cowes on 23 May. The 230nm offshore race, starting from Cowes around the Eddystone Lighthouse with a Solent finish, is the second race of the RORC Cowes Offshore Series.

For more RORC North Sea Race sailing information
http://www.rorc.org