Solent Black take Academy Trophy victory in final race

Solent Black claimed the Academy Trophy by just one point after a final-race showdown at the Royal Southern Yacht Club on 17-18 October.

Twenty-one teams came together for the club’s final league racing event of 2026, bringing club and university sailors together for two days of racing and socialising. The weekend incorporated the postponed British Keelboat League Finals, with 13 BKL entries and 11 University Sailing League entries.

Racing in J/70s provided for the event, teams rotated through a series of short fleet races in the central Solent. With no discards, every result counted, making consistency key across the weekend.

Saturday opened in a moderate, shifty northerly breeze. Solent Black got straight into their stride, winning their opening two races. The early racing was fairly spread out, but as the breeze built, the fleet tightened and mark roundings became increasingly crowded. Clean manoeuvres and finding space were key, with 13 races completed by the end of the day.

Solent Black take Academy Trophy victory in final race

With more wind forecast for Sunday, crews headed out with a reef in the mainsail. The breeze built through the day, bringing challenging conditions and plenty of broaches. Teams who kept their boats under control were rewarded, while a clean start offered the chance to get clear of the close-quarters battles behind.

Another 13 races brought the weekend’s total to 26, with the overall title still undecided heading into the final race. Lightfoot Racing Spirit held a one-point advantage over Solent Black, but Solent’s third place against Lightfoot’s fifth reversed the order, securing the Academy Trophy with 88 points to Lightfoot’s 87.

Consistency paid off for Solent Black, who won five of their 11 races and never finished outside the top three. Lightfoot Racing Spirit pushed them all the way, taking six race wins across the weekend.

Speaking after racing, the newly formed Solent Black team credited Friday’s training session with helping them get into the groove. They carried that preparation into the weekend, combining strong starts and good speed with consistent sailing. Keeping things clean and avoiding major incidents proved key to the overall win.

“We saw extremely tight racing all weekend in shifty conditions, making it a highly opportunistic set of races. While many teams made big gains splitting from the fleet, the real key to keeping a good average was consistency. Solent Black sailed an outstanding regatta with a very clear scorecard. The event win came down to the last race and they were very deserving winners.” Morgan, Reynolds: Lightfoot Racing Spirit

Exeter Blue completed the podium on 80 points, finishing inside the top four in all 11 of their races. A win on Saturday and a strong finish to Sunday, with three consecutive seconds followed by a third, secured third overall.

Just two points behind, Serpentine and Falcon Racing finished tied on 78 points. Serpentine took fourth on countback with five race wins to Falcon’s four. An OCS proved costly for Serpentine in the no-discard series, while Falcon finished on a high by winning the final race of the weekend.

In the British Keelboat League rankings, Exeter Blue took the top spot ahead of Serpentine in second and Marconi in third. Solent Black led the University Sailing League standings, followed by Exeter Blue in second and Plymouth B in third.

With close racing throughout the fleet and plenty of socialising ashore, the Academy Trophy brought the Royal Southern’s league racing season to a lively finish.

Jack Fenwick, Sailing Manager at the Royal Southern Yacht Club, said: “It was great to bring club and university teams together for such a competitive weekend. Sunday’s conditions really tested the crews, and seeing the title come down to the final race was a fantastic way to finish our league racing season. Congratulations to Solent Black, and thank you to all the sailors, volunteers and race team who made the weekend possible.”

Academy Trophy overall results

Solent Black — 88 points
Sailors: Finn Morris, James Alexander, Kristian Barker, Milo Crymble, Sebastian Foxon
Lightfoot Racing Spirit — 87 points
Sailors: Morgan Reynolds, Nils Theuninck, Alex Barone, George Sellwood
Exeter Blue — 80 points
William Fletcher, Charlotte Beardsall, Finlay Lomas-Clarke, Millie Lewis, Mollie Slattery
Serpentine — 78 points
Henry Arnold, Tom Quigley, Evert McLaughlin, Ellen Bryson
Falcon Racing — 78 points
Toby Smith , Imogen Green, Ralph Musto, Merryn Attridge , Christopher Marsh