Skandia Cowes Week preview

There is a lot going on and here is the Daily Sail's look at next week's highlights

Skandia Cowes Week has come around again - and this time for the last time. For starting on Saturday, the 182nd edition of Cowes Week marks the end of Skandia's impressive 14 year backing of the UK’s premier regatta, for which we believe the whole sailing community thank them. Rather scarily though, at present no one has stepped in to fill the void of the title sponsorship spot for 2009.

In a statement Stuart Quarrie, CEO of Cowes Week Ltd said: “Skandia has been a fantastic partner to Cowes Week for 14 years and has worked hard with us to develop the regatta, and Cowes, in so many positive ways. A heart-felt thank you goes out to Skandia, and we will enjoy celebrating all that has been achieved during our 14-year relationship with them at this year’s regatta.

“Looking ahead to the future of Cowes Week and life after Skandia, our ideal scenario had been to announce a new partner in advance of this year’s event. Although discussions are progressing well, we are not in a position to make an announcement before or during the regatta. However, we do have every confidence that Cowes Week will have a new partner in place in good time for the 2009 regatta.

“Cowes Week is a superb event that has a huge amount to offer, and of course it’s important to remember that the regatta has run very successfully for over 180 years, going from strength to strength; we are in no doubt that this will continue into the future.”



This year 8500 crew are expected to be racing on the 900-950 yachts due to take part over the eight days of racing. While the bulk of the fleet are from the UK,
international entries include: Australia (1), Belgium (6), France (4), Germany (2), Hong Kong (1), Ireland (3), Switzerland (1), The Netherlands (17), United States (4).

Over the course of the Week, 100,000 people come to watch the racing and enjoy the festival shoreside atmosphere. This includes around 50,000 who come mainly to watch the famous fireworks display which is staged, in keeping with tradition, on the final Friday of the event, or 8 August this year. It is estimated by the Southern Tourist Board that the event contributes around £60 million to the Isle of Wight economy.

This year the largest yacht and fastest on handicap yacht is Alegre, the US-entered Mills 68, while the oldest yacht is Jess, a National Squib built in 1876, while the largest class is the Laser SB3 with 84 entries. 37 classes are to compete this year, including four new ones: J/80, Beneteau 40.7; Quarter Ton and the combined OnDeck fleet of Farr 65s and Clipper 68s.



The oldest owner/skipper is believed to be a Miss Delphine Freeman who will be sailing her Minx in the Victory Class. Aged 77, she has been racing at Cowes Week for the past 50 years. Conversely the youngest Skipper is 12-year old Fred Warren-Smith from Ryde, Isle of Wight, sailing on the National Squib Aquabat. Competing for the 2008 Skandia Young Skipper trophy, Warren-Smith is up against three skippers twice his age, (the competition is open to any skipper who is under 25 on 9 August 2008).

While Cowes Week racing doesn’t start until Saturday, competitors can get in the mood tomorrow (Friday) by following the Volkswagen Touareg King of Cowes at Skandia Cowes Week Regatta, where the winners of each class at last year’s Cowes Week get to race head to head in Laser SB3s in what is effectively a champion of champions event for keelboats. Now into its second year, the event is being further spiced up with television sports personality Kirsty Gallacher and former GB Olympic athletes Colin Jackson and Jonathan Edwards competing.

King of Cowes racing commences at 11:00 and uniquely thedailysail will be reporting on the action as it unfolds via our race blog.

The event has some truly superb prizes, the top one being a VW Touareg (to put this into context the most basic Touareg costs around £31,000). There is also a Laser XD and Laser BUG up for grabs and a holiday with Mark Warner to be won for the winning SB3 owner and a £500 spot prize for the 'The Most Passionate Performance' awarded by Nexus Marine.

Running alongside Skandia Cowes Week are several other events. The most poignant will certainly be the iShares Cup running over three days from this Saturday with racing starting at 1400 off the mainland shore near Lepe. Racing in the 40ft catamaran class is being pepped up with a unique showdown between the two parties presently clashing over the 33rd America’s Cup: Ed Baird, helmsman of Alinghi’s 32nd America’s Cup winner will again be fielding his entry, but will be up against two BMW Oracle Racing boats, one skippered by Australian James Spithill, the other by Groupama skipper Franck Cammas.



Once again Monday will be the Ellen MacArthur Trust Charity Day. As was the case last year the charity is hoping to ‘turn Cowes blue’ and is encouraging everyone to dye their hair blue, fly blue flags or just wear blue clothes.

Scarlet Oyster, the yacht lent to The Trust by Gordon Appleby for use during its summer trips and sailing regattas, will again be crewed by children from The Trust. Gordon sadly lost his battle with cancer on 21st February and The Trust’s entry into Skandia Cowes Week is dedicated to his memory.

The EMT stand on Cowes Parade has rowing machines with the aim of visitors rowing two million metres over the course of the week and raising funds at the same time. Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, Skandia Cowes Week’s official skincare sponsors, are continuing their support by supplying sunscreen available to purchase on lanyards, with sales proceeds going to the Charity.

The day culminates in the Ellen MacArthur Trust Ball at Osborne House in East Cowes.

On Tuesday eight IMOCA 60s, most competing in this autumn’s Vendee Globe, will be sailing around the island in the Artemis Challenge. Thedailysail will be on board Pindar hoping on this occasion that we actually make it around with the mast remaining skyward. The line-up includes both Artemis 60s (Jonny Malbon’s new Rogers design and the former Hexagon/Pindar), Brian Thompson’s extreme Juan K design, Pindar, Dee Caffari and Mike Golding on their sisterships Aviva and Ecover, Seb Josse’s Farr design BT and aspirant Steve White on the former Gartmore/Pindar boat now called Spirit of Weymouth.

On Thursday of Skandia Cowes Week is the Liz Earle Ladies Day, celebrating the contribution and achievements of women in sailing. This encompasses all female sailors ranging from the Corinthian sailor and those overcoming difficulties, through to those who have undertaken remarkable challenges in sailing.

More women than ever now compete at the regatta and at least a third of the 8,500 competitors are female. Alongside various Liz Earle prizes and competitions, Henry Lloyd are offering a 15% discount on all ladieswear for female shoppers in the Henri Lloyd store in Cowes, there will be a rosé promotion at the G.H. Mumm Bar in Cowes Yacht Haven.

Liz Earle have also introduced a new trophy. The Liz Earle ‘Close Shave Trophy’ will be awarded annually to the overall winner across all classes who grasps victory by the closest margin.

Budding olympians at Skandia Cowes Week:

With the 2008 closing on us fast, so several 2012 potential Olympians will be attending the regatta this week including: Chris Rashley – 49er, Tom Peel – 49er, Alain Sign – 49er, Dylan Fletcher - 49er, Richard Hamilton – RS:X, Richard Mason – 49er, Ally Martin – 470, Rosie Chapman – Radial and Megan Pascoe – 2.4m

Among the stars of the sailing world expecting to be in Cowes over the course of the week are Russell Coutts, Brad Butterworth, John Kostecki, James Spithill, Franck Cammas, Dame Ellen MacArthur, Mike Sanderson, Shirley Robertson, Dee Caffari, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Mike Golding, Sam Davies, Alex Thomson, Brian Thompson and many many more.

In addition there will be adventurer and TV presenter Bear Grylls, former 110 metre hurdle world-record holder Colin Jackson CBE, TV presenters Kirsty Gallacher and Alan Titchmarsh, triple jump Olympic Gold medallist Jonathan Edwards, model Jodie Kidd, England International and Wasps rugby players Joe Worsley and Tim Payne and the venerable Jonny Ball.

And remember that camera! We are running the Real Skandia Cowes Week photography competition - with £500 of Musto gear up for grabs to the winners. Pictures can be emailed or now texted to the Daily Sail. Click here for all the details.