Cowes Week class preview 2

Andy Rice takes a look at the form book for the bigger boats in IRC Classes 0-3

Class 2 has tended to be the hotbed of competition in past years at Cowes Week, but Lymington professional sailor David King predicts a tough contest in IRC 1 this year.

"I would have to put Charles Dunstone's Nokia Communicator down as favourite," he says. "John Corby knows the IRC rule inside out and they've proven themselves with a win at the Berthon Source regatta, but it's not a foregone conclusion." The Corby 41.5 footer also finished first ahead of Keith Miller's Crackerjack in the top division of the IRC Championship back at the beginning of June.

King himself will be navigating aboard a new Dubois 40 called Azure, although it is too early to tell if she will pose any sort of threat to the front runners. Strong challenges to Nokia are more likely to come from other quarters.

The Beneteau 47.7s will struggle if the wind is light, but give them a sniff of breeze and you can expect to see the likes of Team Tonic and Kirribilli making the front running. Double Olympian Stuart Childerley will be at the helm of Kirribilli for the week and for the Rolex Fastnet Race too.

The Farr 40s will be match fit after a heavy season of close racing, and will join Class 1 after their windward-leeward regatta on the first three days of Cowes Week. Former world champion Jim Richardson and his Barking Mad crew will be using the week as an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the tricky Solent waters before the Farr 40 Worlds in mid-September.

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