Khumbu Dominates UK Cape 31 Round 1

at the Royal Yacht Squadron 8th- 10th May

Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes · 9 Races Sailed

Round 1 of the Cape 31 UK Race Circuit wrapped up in exactly the conditions the class was built for — a strong shifty north-easterly sweeping across the racecourse from 16 knots all the way into the mid-20s, producing fast, physical and relentlessly tactical racing from start to finish.

Hosted by the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, the event delivered everything a Cape 31 sailor could ask for.

"A fantastic opening event for the UK fleet — a real mix of conditions and super competitive racing all weekend."

The standout performance of the weekend belonged to Khumbu, who put together a scoreline of eight wins from nine races in a remarkable display of consistency and speed across the range of conditions. Their crew work and tactical calls across all 3 days set the benchmark for the fleet and lay down the challenge for the 2026 Season.

Overall Results — Round 1

1st	Khumbu	8 wins from 9 races
2nd	Earlybird	2nd Overall
3rd	Black Star	3rd Overall
CORINTHIAN	Flurg	1st Corinthian

Earlybird and Black Star rounded out the overall podium with strong performances across the nine-race series. Congratulations to Flurg for taking the Corinthian honours — a well-earned result for an amateur crew racing in one of the UK's most demanding one-design fleets.

With Round 1 in the books, the circuit now builds toward Round 2 in Poole. If this weekend is any indication, the competition will only tighten as teams dial in their boats and crew work. The Cape 31 continues to prove itself as one of the most exciting one-design classes in the World — fast, physical and fiercely competitive from front to back.

Many thanks to the Royal Yacht Squadron for hosting, and to North Sails and Quantum Sails for their continued support of the class. Photo credits to Megan Bartholomew.  Bring on Round 2.