The strong winds meant some gear damage was inevitable, including torn sails and at least one dismasting, however few classes saw more than one or two retirements. The main exception is the 83-strong 101-year-old XOD class, which struggled in the strong wind against tide conditions. Competitors will remember the opening day for sun, the exhilaration of fast downwind sailing with the occasional spectacular broach, and some really close racing.

Leading positions after day 1 at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

IRC Class 0
1, Powerplay (Peter Cunningham)
2, Pace (Johnny Vincent)
3, Tonnerre De Breskens 3 (Vroon B.V. & Mr. P.W. Vroon)

IRC Class 1
1, Apollo 5 (Nigel Passmore)
2, Peninsula Signal 8 (Jamie McWilliam)
3, Tokoloshe (Michael Bartholomew)

IRC Class 2
1, Zephyr (Steve Cowie)
2, Trustmarque Quokka (Peter Rutter)
3, Holding Pattern (Richard Matthews)

IRC Class 3
1, Xinska (Bernard Olesinski)
2, Lann Ael (Didier Gaudoux)
3, Visit Malta Puma (Sailing Logic - Tim Thubron)

IRC Class 4
1, Zarafa (Peter Scholfield)
2, Xcitable (Peter Hodgkinson and Sarah Bailey)
3, King Louie (Fiona & Malcolm Thorpe)

IRC Class 5
1, Boomerang (Ray Crouch)
2, Fever Glenfiddich (Grant Gordon)
3, Brightwork (Bob Baker and Jon Baker)

IRC Class 6
1, White Mischief (Andy Hind)
2, Sublime Yacht Charters (Matt Hardy)
3, Enigma (Ian Braham)

IRC Class 7
1, Madelaine (Madelaine & Isobella Donald)
2, Woof (Jo Richards)
3, Mandarin (Paul Dunstan)

Contessa 32
1, Drumbeat (Eldred Himsworth)
2, Blanco (Ray Rouse)
3, Blue Shark (Ken Mizen & Don Laing)

Daring
1, Dauntless (Giles Peckham, Milo Carver, Richard Romer-Lee)
2, Finesse (David Christie and John Mulcahy)
3, Defender (Jeremy Preston and Mark Fear)

Dragon
1, Bear (Chris Brittain)
2, Ecstatic (Eric Williams)
3, Clairvoyant (Edward Sawyer, Martin 'Stavros' Payne and Pedro Andrade)

Etchells
1, Gelert (James Howells)
2, Moonlight (Downer Family)
3, Darling S (Bleddyn Mon)

Figaro II
1, Artemis Figaro 21 (Aaron Cooper)
2, Artemis Figaro 37 (Henry Bomby)
3, Team International (Katie Miller)

First 34.7
1, Mongoose (Tom Snowball)
2, Kratos (Robert Martin)
3, Captain Fantastic (Robin Harris)

First 40
1, Zephyr (Steve Cowie)
2, Carpe Diem (Carpe Diem)
3, Minx 3 (Jonathan Gardiner)

First 40.7
1, Elandra (Calvin Reed)
2, Fandango (Brendan McMahon and Adam Ridett)
3, Anticipation (Chris Jago & Pete Newlands)

Flying 15
1, Black (Nick Clarke)
2, Ffuraha (Mike Boll and Gil McCutcheon)
3, Fifty Fifty (Andrew Millband Tony Hastings)

HOD 35
1, Zarafa (Peter Scholfield)
2, Malice (Mike Moxley)
3, White Knight Of Wessex (James Neville)

IRC Ocean Racer
1, Ocean Venture (Apex Sailing)

ISCRS Division A
1, White Heather (Janet, Lionel and David Miller)
2, Panther (James Stableford)
3, Alamara B II (Mr Ole Bettum)

ISCRS Division B
1, Gazelle (Heleen Wester)
2, Newcastle University (Newcastle University)
3, Tessa (Paul Wells)

J/80
1, Rafbf Spitfire (Wg Cdr Simon Ling)
2, Exess (William Goldsmith)
3, Surf And Turf (Geoffrey Payne)

J/92 & J92/S
1, J'Ronimo (John Taylor and David Greenhalgh)
2, Black Jack (Andy Howe and Annie Kelly)
3, Who'S To No (Who's to No)

J/97
1, Fever Glenfiddich (Grant Gordon)
2, Jika - Jika (Mike & Jamie Holmes)
3, Jet (James Owen)

J/109
1, Harlequin (J.Calascione and J.Goodwin)
2, Jolene II (Christopher Sharples and Richard Ackland)
3, Jubilee (Tony Dickin)

J/111
1, McFly (Tony Mack)
2, Icarus (Charles Rolls and Andrew Christie)
3, Djinn (Sebastien de Liedekerke and Just 4 Sailing Inshore Performan)

J/122
1, Ghost (Ken Lowes)
2, Mint Julep (David Cule)
3, The Sisterhood (The Sisterhood)

Mermaid
1, Sheen (Richard Prest)
2, Adastra (Chris Cotterell and Will Caws)
3, Scuttle (Terry & Matthew Kavanagh)

Multihull
1, Humdinger (John Beech)
2, Buzz (Phil Cotton)
3, Wandering Glider (Matthew West)

Quarter Ton
1, Whiskers (Lincoln Redding & Led Pritchard & Cat Southworth)
2, Espada (Louise Morton)
3, Menace (James Morland)

Redwing
1, Harlequin (John Raymond and Matt Alexander)
2, Banzai II (Mr & Mrs Nick Rowton-Lee and Mr & Mrs Rory Morrison)
3, Avocet (Michael & Rupert MacInnes)

Reflex 38
1, Visit Malta Puma (Sailing Logic - Tim Thubron)
2, Jaguar Logic (Sailing Logic - Peter Burwood)
3, Lion Logic (Sailing Logic - Rob Gibson)

RS Elite
1, Kandoo III (Crauford)
2, Kiss (Martin Wadhams)
3, Freebie (Tom Montgomery, Sonny Mallet and Iain Macdonald-Smith)

SB20
1, Sportsboatworld.Com (Jerry Hill)
2, Space Docker (Iain May)
3, Polarbear (Tim Newton)

Sigma 33
1, Ephesian (Stuart Brand and Emma Gage)
2, Workout (Jeff Worboys)
3, Spirit Of Kudu (Mark Watkins)

Sigma 38
1, The Project (Andrew Budgen)
2, Mefisto (Kevin Sussmilch)
3, With Alacrity (Chris & Vanessa Choules)

Sonar
1, Jenny (Andy Cassell)
2, Bertie (Simon Barter)
3, Discard (F) (Will Rome)

Sportsboat
1, Darwin Property (Darwin Property Investment Management)
2, Turbulence (Paul & Natalie French)
3, Rum N Cork (Lewis and Livingstone)

Squib
1, Hussar (Martin & Anne Harrison)
2, Lady Penelope (Malcolm Hutchinhs and Andy Ramsey)
3, Aquabat (Fred Warren-Smith)

Sunbeam
1, Danny (Roger Wickens)
2, Symphony (Mr & Mrs Anthony Robinson, Dr M Harvey & Dr N Harvey)
3, Fleury (Joe Burnie)

Sunsail F40
1, Coast Graphics (Coast Graphics)
2, Aberdeen 1 (Aberdeen 1)
3, Lakestone (Lakestone)

Swallow
1, Gwaihir (Mike Wigmore and Mark Struckett)
2, Skua (Harry Roome, Prue Roome and David Lees)
3, Darter (Tony Glover)

Victory
1, Ziva (Mark Dennington)
2, Zest (Kim & Sally Taylor)
3, Minx (Delphine Freeman and Andrew Terry)

X One Design
1, Catherine (Steve Lawrence)
2, Astralita (Fraser Graham and Tim Copsey)
3, Lass (Jeremy Lear, John Tremlett, Richard Bullock and Richard Jord)