The Royal Ocean Racing Club's Vice Admiral's Cup burst into action on the first day of racing. With 15-20 knots of wind and a building tide, the high performance fleet was launched on two tight windward leeward courses and a final round the buoys race to finish off a thrilling day on the water. With downwind boat speed nudging over 20 knots at times, staying on the plane and nailing gybes at full chat was the secret to high gains. Many of yesterday's 18–races between six different classes were won by seconds.

After three thrilling races in the ten-boat Farr40+ Class, Peter Morton's British Carkeek40, Girls on Film scored a 1-3-2 on the first day to lead by three points from Mike Bartholomew's South African GP42, Tokoloshe II. William Coates' Texan Ker 43, Otra Vez scored a 2-1-7 to finish the day in third place. The results of the Fast40+ Class are subject to protest.

“Winning the pin today and getting onto the bank was a favourable option but we decided that we would start a few boats in, so we wouldn't have to tack as long as we could hold our lane, and that worked out okay for us today. On top of getting out of the tide, there were left hand shifts coming off the island which worked well for us. We are quite strong downwind and managed to hold off some good competition in the first race from Otra Vez. Jubilee did a good job downwind in the second race and in the third race we managed to trawl a spinnaker, which set us back. About half the fleet made the podium today and there was a different winner in each race. In this fleet, you make a mistake, or fail to get off the line well, and you will be passed by three or four boats, that's how it should be and what this class is all about.” commented Peter Morton, Girls on Film.

Jamie Rankin's Farr 280 Pandemonium finished the day on top of the leader board for the HP30 Class with three podium finishes including a win in Race 2. Lloyd Thornburg's Farr 280, Fomo scored 4,2,1 to finish the first day in third place, an impressive performance, as the team from Lloyd's MOD 70 Phaedo3, only stepped into racing the boat today. Thorkild Juncker's Open 7.50 Cool Runnings was incredibly fast today, scoring a bullet and a third in the first two races but a broken halyard saw the dutch team fail to start the third race.

“Keeping the sails point at the sky, certainly helped our cause!” Laughed Pandemonium's Jamie Rankin. “The Farr 280 is very wet but super fast downwind and it was great to race with my sister Frankie. I know the colour scheme on the boat isn't exactly subtle but these boats are really enjoyable and today was the first time out in big breeze with a proper fleet. Ploughing through the waves, you really needed swimming goggles and some of the gybe on gybe action was hard work but just immense fun.”

In the SB20 Class, four teams shared the podium but there were three straight bullets for last year's Vice Admiral's Cup winner, Forelle Estates, helmed by Joe Llewellyn. Charles Sheppard's Sharc scored 2,2,3 to finish the day in second place and McAdam & Whelan's Here Comes Bod, finished the first day in third position. Doug Innes' A New Hope scored a third in the last race, securing fourth just a point ahead of Peter Noe's 6a Vision Homes.

Stuart Sawyer's J/111, Black Dog came out of the blocks with good pace, winning the the first two races and placing third in the last, the Cornish team lead the class but the racing was incredibly close. Cornel Riklin's Jitterbug scored three second places to finish the day just a point behind the leader and Tony Mack's McFly finished the day in third place. “We were happy with our speed today, especially downwind but we had a really bad rounding in the last race and let Jelvis get away and allowed Jitterbug to catch us up. In the end there was just 16 seconds between all three of us. The J/111 fleet can be quite aggressive and we have come to have a really competitive regatta and we are pleased with how we are going.”

In the J/109 Class, Robert Stiles' Diamond Jem had an outstanding day, posting two wins and a second, to lead the class by three points. David Richards' Jumping Jellyfish won the last race of the day to take second place in the class, just a point ahead of Chris Copeland's Juke Box.

Louise Morton's Quarter Tonner, Bullit placed third in the first race and went on to win the last two races to lead the Quarter Tonner Class ahead of Sam Laidlaw's Aguilla. Tony Hayward's Blackfun is third.

“We had a really good day today despite the tricky conditions with wind against tide and breaking our pole in the first race was not ideal.” commented Louise Morton. “We did have a couple of wipe-outs but we were not alone, Quarter Tonners can be a handful downwind. Well done to Stuart Childerley and his team for getting six classes off for three good races each, I am sure the race committee was as tired as us by the end of the day.”

Racing at the RORC Vice Admiral's Cup continues Saturday 21 May, with three more races scheduled for all six classes.

Pulsating action is anticipated this weekend for the 12 edition of the Vice Admiral's Cup, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club. A full range of weather conditions is forecast for one of the best fleets of racing yachts seen at the event since its conception in 2005. With planing conditions forecast for the entire weekend, there will be a flurry of action on tight Solent courses. Two separate racing areas will be in operation with up to three races per day for the three-day regatta. Eight races are scheduled with the discard rule coming into play when six or more races have been completed.

Top of the bill will be the Fast 40+ Class and this year's event will also feature the first regatta for the HP 30 Class. The Quarter Tonner Class will join the Fast 40+ and HP 30 Class rated under IRC and there are three one-design classes, level rating; J/111, J/109 and SB20 Sportsboats.

Ten yachts are expected for the Fast 40+ Class, including RORC Easter Challenge winner, Texan Bill Coates with Ker 43, Otra Vez. Sir Keith Mills' British Ker 40+ Invictus and Peter Morton's Cowes-based Carkeek 40, Girls On Film, are both racing, and will be looking to take their first regatta victory of the season.

Six pocket rockets are expected to contest the first ever HP 30 Class, including Lloyd Thornburg's FOMO. The RORC Caribbean 600 multihull record holder will be joined by Brian Thompson, along with several MOD70 crew from Phaedo3. Thorkild Juncker's Open 7.50 Cool Runnings will also be racing with 'speed doctor' Jochem Visser as part of the crew.

The J/111 Class looks to be very competitive with proven winners right through the one design fleet. Stuart Sawyer's Cornishmen racing Black Dog are always a potent force and came second last year. 2014 European Champion, Cornel Riklin's Jitterbug will be racing, as will last year's Vice Admiral's Cup winner, Tony Mack's McFly. The J-Boat fleet at the regatta will be complimented by a fleet of J/109s level racing under their class rules.

In the SB20 Class, Joe Llewellyn's Forelle Estates is back to defend their emphatic win last year. 2011 UK SB20 Inland Champions Richard McAdam & Charlie Whelan will offer top competition. 12 Quarter Tonners will be racing including the top four teams from last year. Sam Laidlaw's Aguila will be defending last year's final race win and last year's runner up, Rickard Melander's Alice II, is back. Tony Hayward's Blackfun and Louise Morton's Bullit are both racing, and were third and fourth respectively last year.