Monarch of Royal Tay Yacht Club have won the 2026 707 Sprints Trophy at Port Edgar Yacht Club after finishing level on points with More T Vicar of Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club and prevailing on the RYA Series tie-break rule.
The two boats could not be separated on total points following racing on 3 and 4 October in Inverkeithing Bay, east of the Forth Bridges. According to the event report, their respective totals were split only by third-place finishes, handing Monarch the overall trophy.
Port Edgar Yacht Club’s Tsunami 2, the previous Sprints winners, took third overall. Jetstream won the second fleet, with an unusual set of results: its discarded score was a first place.
The result brought the 707 UK calendar to a close at an event which returned after a two-year absence. Fourteen yachts entered the regatta, with crews racing short windward-leeward courses across two days.
A tie settled by the finishing detail
The Sprints format made consistency important over a high number of short races. On Saturday, the fleet was divided into Green and White groups based on results at 707 events during 2026. The teams were reseeded for Sunday into Yellow and Blue fleets according to their Saturday performances.
Each day was treated as a separate series for each fleet, the report said. That structure meant crews had repeated opportunities to recover from difficult starts or individual errors, but it also created little room for a weak score once the standings tightened.
Monarch and More T Vicar ultimately reached the final reckoning tied on points. The RYA Series tie-break was applied, with the split occurring at third places, to give Monarch the trophy.
For Tsunami 2, third place represented another leading finish at their home club after their previous success in the Sprints. The local crew were unable to retain the trophy, however, as Monarch edged the tie at the top and More T Vicar took second.
Two days of contrasting conditions
Saturday offered the steadier and brighter conditions. The report said a south-westerly breeze averaged 12 knots, with gusts reaching 22 knots, alongside neap tides and warm sunshine. Race officer Paul Deponio and the club’s on-water team completed 10 races for each fleet, while getting the boats back into the marina by 4.30pm.
The tight schedule reflected the event’s sprint-racing focus. Courses were short and the two fleets started separately. There was one protest on Saturday, which the report said was resolved quickly through the RYA Arbitration method.
Sunday brought overcast skies and a stronger but less straightforward breeze. Although forecasts had suggested winds of 19 to 27 knots, the report said the breeze was relatively steady at around 18 knots, with gusts. Its direction varied sufficiently for the course to be reset three times during the six-race programme.
The final race started at 2pm, and no protests were recorded on Sunday. Six races were held on Sunday despite the shifting wind.
Final event closes the 707 season
The Port Edgar meeting was described as the final 707 UK event of 2026. Its return after two years away drew crews from clubs including Royal Tay, Royal Yorkshire and the host club. The two-fleet arrangement was used across the weekend, with short windward-leeward courses and separate fleet starts.
Monarch’s victory was decided by the series tie-break after the boats finished level on points. With More T Vicar level on points, the deciding comparison of third places showed that individual finishing positions could determine the overall outcome in a compact sprint format.
Discussion at the clubhouse turned to the possibility of another Sprints event in 2027, after a weekend that drew 14 booked yachts.