The Royal Thames Yacht Club's Commodore has claimed one of offshore sailing's most coveted trophies after a gruelling 112-nautical-mile race from Cowes to Dartmouth.
Richard Powell guided the First 40 *Rogan Josh* to overall victory in the 2026 Morgan Cup Race, organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC). The win is believed to make Powell the first serving Royal Thames Commodore in living memory to lift the historic trophy.
The race started in brisk south-westerly winds of around 20 knots, sending the fleet charging east down the Solent before turning south around the Isle of Wight. Competitors then faced a punishing overnight beat through the English Channel in heavy seas left behind by days of unsettled weather.
The challenging conditions took their toll. Sail damage and seasickness contributed to a number of retirements, although all competitors were accounted for.
"It was a really tough race," Powell said after the finish.
"Around the back of the Island it was very lumpy, and it stayed that way until three or four in the morning because there had been big storms for the previous two days. There was a lot of slamming."
The Morgan Cup was donated to the Royal Thames Yacht Club by the JP Morgan family in 1929 and became part of the RORC programme in 1958. It remains one of the club's most sought-after trophies.
"We have been there or thereabouts for a while," Powell said. "I think this is our first overall offshore win, which is great. To win the Morgan Cup is a huge thrill."
Powell paid tribute to his crew, stressing the amateur nature of the campaign.
"Of course, it is not me, it is the team," he said. "We never have professionals on board. It is strictly amateur, with Royal Thames members, young members and friends."
The overall podium featured two RORC Flag Officers. RORC Vice Commodore Derek Shakespeare's *Bulldog* finished second overall, while Rob Craigie's *Bellino*, co-skippered by RORC Commodore Deb Fish, completed the podium and also won IRC Three.
Multihull line honours and the MOCRA class win went to Dave Summers' Dazcat 1495 *DMS Vinyl*, skippered by Brendan Seward and Tom Gall. The catamaran completed the course in 20 hours, 11 minutes and 28 seconds.
Monohull line honours were claimed by Trevor Middleton's JPK 1180 *Black Sheep*, which crossed the finish line just four minutes later. The yacht went on to finish fourth overall and won IRC One ahead of two French rivals.
In IRC Two-Handed, youth took centre stage. Alaric Bates and Albert Barber, both in their twenties, won the class aboard Gavin Howe's Sun Fast 3600 *Tigris*.
"It was a really high-intensity race, especially at the start and then going back upwind in the big breeze," said Bates. "We were exhausted by the end, but the boat was great and it was a really good result for us."
The duo's performance continues a strong season for *Tigris* and provides further momentum ahead of upcoming offshore campaigns, including the Round Britain and Ireland Race.
In IRC Four, Mark Brown's JPK 1010 *Jetpack* secured victory ahead of Rob Cotterill's J/109 *Mojo Risin*, while Paddy Moriarty's classic Swan 44 *Astrid* completed the podium.
The Morgan Cup formed the eighth race of the RORC Season's Points Championship. Attention now turns to 20 June, when the East Coast Race and the Round Ireland Race begin, with 57 entries set to contest Ireland's premier offshore challenge.
