Cape 31s Dominate Worldwide — From Clean Sweep Cowes to European Championships at Copa del Rey

The Cape 31s are on a tear — smashing it around the world and racking up silverware wherever they go.

At the 199th Cowes Week, they pulled off something that may never be repeated: a clean sweep of Britain’s biggest sailing trophies. Over the week, they ran their own hotly contested one-design series, dominated their IRC classes, and then — just for good measure — took home all three of the regatta’s most prestigious big-boat prizes.

Sandy Askew’s Flying Jenny made history in the Britannia Cup, beating 23 of the highest-rated IRC yachts to get her name on the Royal Yacht Squadron’s wall — likely the first female owner-driver to do so. Julian Metherill’s Bullitt then took the New York Yacht Club Challenge Cup, repeating her earlier victory for the Queen’s Cup. In both cases, Capes filled the leaderboard before bigger boats like the TP52 Gladiator could even get a look in.

In IRC Class 1, Russell Peters and David Bartholomew’s Tokoloshe 4 scored straight bullets (after discard) to win, with Bertie Bicket’s Fargo right behind in second. Between their one-design series, IRC wins, and sweeping all three standalone big-boat trophies, the Cape 31 fleet owned Cowes Week.

And it’s not just the UK — the momentum is global. In the Med, Earlybird came 2nd in the Copa del Rey at the RCNP in the ORC Europeans, proving these pocket rockets can mix it with the best on any course, in any conditions.

From the Solent to the Med, Cape 31s aren’t just competing — they’re rewriting the results sheets.