Very shifty southerly winds provided testing conditions for navigators and tacticians at Cowes Week on Wedneday as a number of weather fronts passed over the race area.
With very strong gusts recorded to the west of the Solent during the morning, relatively short courses were set with the aim of getting fleets home before winds increased further over the race areas in the afternoon.
One of the largest yachts at the regatta, Richard Loftus’ Swan 65 Desperado (image above), took victory in Cruiser Division A today, taking line honours by a margin of almost 10 minutes.
This was enough to secure a win on corrected time ahead of Charles Esse’s X4^3 Baby X and Lord Michael Grade’s Shipman 50 Zephyr.
Today there was a focus on young sailors at Cowes Week in recognition of the 20 crews in which all members are aged under 25, plus a further 28 young skippers.
The regatta is keen to encourage, facilitate and inspire young people to get involved in sailing.
Alex Downer’s Panther won today’s race in the Squib class and is second in the standings for the Musto Young Skippers Trophy, behind Will Heritage, with Joe Bottomley’s First 40 Sailplane Bucketlust third.
Oliver Hill’s SB20 H2 Sailing Team is currently leading the competition for the Land Rover Under 25 Trophy, with Hugo Vallerie’s Diam 24 catamaran Sofia 3 second and Robby Boyd’s Etchells Sumo third.
Other entries include Eros, a 22ft E-Boat in IRC Class 7 skippered by 18 year old Azat Ulutas. The boat was restored by teenagers at Greig City Academy, an inner city comprehensive school on their own initiative as an extension of the Scaramouche project.
Cowes Week Day 5 leading results
Triple Crown
1, Jethou (Sir Peter Ogden)
2, E1 (Johannes Schwarz)
IRC Class 0
1, Gladiator (Tony Langley)
2, Redshift (Ed Fishwick)
3, Arabella (Niall Dowling)
4, 42 South (Mark Rijkse)
5, Baraka Gp (Family de Graaf)
IRC Class 1
1, K-Force (Jan de Kraker)
2, Fargo (Bertie Bicket)
3, Kanreki (Mr & Mrs Russell Peters & family)
4, Eclectic (Colin Campbell)
5, Leeloo (Harold Vermeulen)
IRC Class 2
1, Yes! (Adam Gosling)
2, McFly (Tony Mack)
3, Cobra (Mike Blair)
4, Sweeny (Hans Zwijnenburg/Martijn Worseling)
5, Rumbleflurg (Ian Schenkel & David Cummins)
IRC Class 3
1, Stiletto (John Barrett & Paul Woodward)
2, La Reponse (Andrew McIrvine)
3, Dusty P (Richard Patrick)
4, Tilt Racing (Alex & Andy Moore)
5, M27 Smart Motorway (M27 Smart Motorway Arthur)
IRC Class 4
1, Westbase (Sacha Kakad)
2, Leon (David Franks)
3, Happy Daize (Team Knight Build)
4, Xanaboo (B Huber)
5, Njo Sails (Nicky & Tim Octon)
IRC Class 5A
1, Jangada (Richard Palmer)
2, Winsome (Harry J. Heijst)
3, Tontin Pups (Borghijs Ronsyn)
4, Acheron (Chris Masterson)
5, Elaine Again (Mike Bridges)
IRC Class 5B
1, Nightjar (Banks, Overstall & Searle)
2, J’Ronimo (David Greenhalgh)
3, Jaywalker (Bob and Jon Baker)
4, 2Xs (Aindriu McCormack)
5, Frank 3 (Olly & Sam Love)
IRC Class 6
1, Whooper (Giovanni Belgrano)
2, Gr8 Banter (Handley James Families)
3, Erik The Red (Bernard Fyans)
4, Scallion (Martin Moody & Cara Golden (Whiteley Village Vets))
5, Stan The Boat (Toby Gorman)
IRC Class 7
1, Ziggy (Kevin Downer)
2, La Vie En Rose (Craig & Emma Dymock)
3, Joey (Ollie Smyth)
4, Kallista (Chris Halewood)
5, Wasp (Luke Goodall)
Contessa 32
1, Blanco (Ray Rouse)
2, Andaxi (Donna & Martin Rouse-Collen)
3, Drumbeat (Eldred Himsworth)
4, Mary Rose Tudor (Ed Bell)
5, Gualin (Rob Duke, Oli Donaghy & Rupert French)
Cruiser (Div A)
1, Desperado (Richard Loftus)
2, Baby X (Charles Esse)
3, Zephyr (Lord Michael Grade)
4, Panther (James Stableford)
5, Tiaki (Charles Youngman)
Cruiser (Div B)
1, Anticipation (Pete Newlands)
2, Susimi II (Michael Carrington)
3, Tiderace (Andrew & Muriel Norton)
4, Dotty Dot (Clive Cutler)
5, Janbo ()
Cruiser (Div C)
1, Panda Of Hamble (Will Smyth & James Barnes)
2, Haggis 2 (Andrew & Rebecca Buchanan)
3, Gladeye (Maj PJR Chishick)
4, Sea Shanty (David Neville)
5, Scandal (Nick Hampton)
Cruiser (Div D)
1, Jalo 1 (Jarkko Havas)
2, Star-Born 4 (Peter Dickson & Andrew Yates)
3, Tudor Rose (Ian Cooke)
4, Blue Viking (Andrew Yates)
5, Sciuma (Gavin Orde)
Double-handed
1, Mostly Harmless (Natalie Jobling)
2, Jura (Colin Walker)
Daring
1, Dauntless (Giles Peckham, Milo Carver, Richard Romer-Lee, Jane Peckham)
2, Defender (Jeremy Preston, Robert Laird, Andrew Armstrong)
3, Dancer (Kim Orchard, Mary Ganczakowski, Laurence Orchard, Tristan Or)
4, Dolphin (Gower, Clark, Haworth & Tunghan-Jones)
5, Division Belle (Richard Ottaway)
Dragon
1, Aimee (Graham BAILEY)
2, Jerboa (Gavia Wilkinson-Cox)
3, Ecstatic (Eric Williams)
4, Bertie (Simon Barter)
5, Furious (Owen Pay)
Etchells
1, Jolly Roger (Tom Abrey, Matt Reid, Bruno Van Dyke (D1-2), Matt Hanaby (D3)
2, Rocketman (Rob Goddard)
3, Exabyte (Shaun & Emily Frohlich)
4, Colin (Eddie Warden Owen & Andrew Cooper)
5, Sumo (Robby Boyd)
Flying 15
1, Freddie Flintoff (Will Heritage)
2, Ffast Lady (Steve Stewart)
3, Fflashback (Mike Dixon)
4, Affore The Weak (Alex & Mike Tatlow)
5, Crews Missile (Peter and Stephen Card)
HP30 (Race 5)
1, Pegasus Dekmarx (Malcolm Wootton Moto Comp)
2, Toucan (Glyn Locke)
3, Jo 90 (Richard Woof)
4, Vitres (Sture Wikman)
5, Mofo2 (Abi Hayles)
HP30 (Race 6)
1, Pegasus Dekmarx (Malcolm Wootton Moto Comp)
2, Jo 90 (Richard Woof)
3, Toucan (Glyn Locke)
4, Vitres (Sture Wikman)
5, Mofo2 (Abi Hayles)
J/70 (Race13)
1, Just4Play (Simon Cavey)
2, Eat,Sleep,J,Repeat (Paul Ward)
3, Soak Racing (Marshall King)
4, Aurora (Katie Davies, Martin Wrigley, Rhos Hawes, Isabel Davies & Mi)
5, Ohlala ! (Victor Migraine)
J/80
1, King Louie (Malcolm Thorpe)
2, Jibba Jabba (Richard Puddifoot, Robert Puddifoot, John Puddifoot)
3, Jackaroo (The Royal Naval Sailing Association. Alastair Ley and Thomas)
J/92
1, Nightjar (Banks, Overstall & Searle)
2, J’Ronimo (David Greenhalgh)
3, Samurai J (Andy Knowles & Alan Macleod)
4, Jackdaw (Rob Salter & Friends)
5, Blue Diamond Dodjer (Brian Malone)
J/109
1, Jack Rabbit (Caroline van Beelen & Rutger Krijger)
2, Joule (Arjen van Leeuwen)
3, Jubilee (Chris & Victoria Preston)
4, Jiraffe (Simon Perry)
5, Jumping Jellyfish (David Richards)
Mermaid
1, Sheen (Hugo Mills)
2, Halluf (John Sandisford Haigh)
3, Scuttle (Ben Few Brown)
4, Cynthia (Oliver Glanville)
5, Sirena (Charles Glanville)
Multihull
1, Alderney Race (Sam Nicholls)
Quarter Ton
1, Blt (Sam Laidlaw)
2, Dawn Raid (Oscar Strugstad)
3, Cote (Sir Keith Mills)
4, Bullit (Julian Metherell)
5, Theseus (Jim Prower)
Redwing
1, Quail (James Wilson)
2, Harlequin (John Raymond / Matt Alexander)
3, Rosetta (The Tate & Greenwood Families)
4, Goose (Olav Cole & Lieutenant Colonel Nick Woolgar)
5, Red Gauntlet II (Annie, Joe & Bel Robertson)
RS Elite
1, Legs Eleven (Paul Fisk)
2, The Doctor (Peter Copsey)
3, Centurion (Jamie Berry & Robert Holbrook)
4, More T’Vicar (Cam, Elliot, Tom)
5, Soak Therapy (Charlie & Julia Egerton-Warburton)
SB20
1, H2 Sailing Team (Oliver Hill)
2, Breaking Bod (Charles Whelan & Richard Mcadam)
3, Marvel (Richard Powell)
4, Trouble & Strife (Radley College)
5, Amica (Doug Innes)
Sigma 33
1, Stan The Boat (Toby Gorman)
2, Prospero Of Hamble (Allan Fraser)
3, Spirit Of Kudu (Mark Watkins)
4, Whippa Snappa (Pip Lucas)
Sonar
1, Jenny (Andy Cassell)
2, Bertie (Alistair Barter)
3, Acf Limbitless (Andrew Cassell Foundation)
4, Hibiscus (Penny Carter)
5, Periscope (Island Sailing Club 2)
Sportsboat
1, King Louie (Malcolm Thorpe)
2, Crescendo (James Flynn)
3, Spider Pig (Boss Hogg, Babe & The Scratching’s Oink Oink !)
4, Rum N Cork (Team GCS Steels)
5, Jibba Jabba (Richard Puddifoot, Robert Puddifoot, John Puddifoot)
Squib
1, Panther 3 (Alex & Mark Downer)
2, Teal (Janet Dee & Shaun Hopkins)
3, Artemis 2 (Chris Rust & James Vineer)
4, Wizard (Gibson Brothers)
5, Buccaneer (Emma Baker & Sam Prime)
Sunbeam
1, Firefly (Stewart Reed)
2, Melody (Julian Hawe)
3, Little Lady (Gayle Palmer)
4, Penny (Julian Money & Richard Pearson)
Sunsail Match F40
1, Investec (INVESTEC)
2, Strata (George Jorgensen)
3, Tenzing (Simon Stevenson)
4, Deloitte Green (David Miller)
5, Deloitte Black (Peter Mills)
Victory
1, Zelia (Geoff Dixon)
2, Shearwater II (Russell Mead)
3, Christina (Gareth Penn)
4, Pelican (Hugh Pringle)
5, Isabel (Mike Scott)
X One Design
1, Ibex (Woodman, James, Lawrence)
2, Swallow (Russell Faulkner Maple)
3, Lara (William McNeill & Andrew Tredrae)
4, Xcitation (Roger Yeoman)
5, Sphex (Peter Baines)
