When eight Solution sailors gathered on the shore of Hunts SC for the very first Solution open meeting, none of them could have imagined what the next two decades would bring.
That modest fleet on a Cambridgeshire lake marked the start of a story that would grow far beyond those early expectations — new sailors, new venues, national champions, close battles, long drives, and a class community that has quietly but steadily built something special. Now, as we approach our 100th open meeting at the end of July, it feels like the perfect moment to look back at how far we've come and to celebrate the people who made it happen.
Over 150 sailors from almost 75 different clubs have entered Solution open meetings over the years, with more than 820 individual entries. Over 80% of entries were travellers sailing away from their home club, and nearly two thirds competed in more than one event.
The most frequent flyer in the class is Kathryn Clark with 85 events and counting. Delph SC has produced the most Solution travellers with 11 different members entering at least one event.
The class has visited 34 different venues, with more than half earning at least one repeat visit. The most visited venue has been Bala SC, where we've been 11 times, starting with the very first national championship back in 2007. 3 clubs are tied for most popular nationals venue: Felpham, Lee on Solent and Gunfleet have each hosted 3 national championships.
The most important question in all this data analysis is which Solution sailor is top of the pops? There are a few contenders depending upon how you want to define the best. There's Andy McKee, first ever national champion, who dominated the early years of the class. But looking back, he only entered 7 events and wasn't the victor in all of them.
Another option could be Christian Smart; he won 12 of the 13 events he entered, an impressive 92% conversion rate.
Then there's the current National Champion, Ian Morgan. He's won 9 of 10 events so far - only 90% conversion rate but still growing... unless Jon Steward can put another dent in that at the 100th open.
Arguably though, the Solution Class G.O.A.T. has to be Kevin Clark: with 20 first places and 38 podium finishes, it'll be a while before anyone else can touch that record.
As we celebrate everything the class has achieved — the sailors, the venues, the champions, the near misses, the long drives, the friendships, and the occasional swim — the 100th open meeting feels like the perfect moment to bring everyone together again. Whether you've raced once, raced every year, or haven't been on a Solution start line for a while, this milestone event is for you.
The 100th Solution Open Meeting will take place at Carsington Sailing Club on 25-26 July 2026, and we're aiming to make it the biggest and most enjoyable gathering the class has ever hosted. To mark the occasion, every sailor who pre-enters by 16 July will receive a free commemorative gift, our way of saying thank you for being part of the journey.
Pre-entry is now open, here's to the next hundred!
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