Cowes Week was back on the water Thursday, the penultimate day, which produced slightly less bracing conditions that allowed all fleets to enjoy a good, solid day’s racing on the Solent in generally light north-north-westerly winds.
Although the menacing winds from yesterday had blown through, competitors faced a different style of challenge – strong tides – which resulted in a mix of general and individual recalls across many starts.
Given the fact that two races were lost this week there was also a new level of challenge that came into play today with competitors now having to count all races sailed, rather than discarding their worst score. In many cases just a couple of points separate positions.
The Royal Yacht Squadron outer start line produced another sight to behold with three of the biggest classes (IRC 0, IRC1, and the Cape 31) kicking off proceedings.
There was all to play for in IRC 0 with Ian Atkins’ GP42 Dark n Stormy having a four-point advantage over Tony Langley’s TP52 Gladiator going into today’s race. However,
Gladiator had her day today with a race win while Dark n Stormy took fifth. This now puts them on equal points going into the final race Friday.
IRC Class 0 overall leaders:
1, GLADIATOR (AJ Langley)
2, DARK N STORMY (Ian Atkins)
3, KHUMBU (Guy Gillon)
4, INO NOIR (James Neville)
5, VAN UDEN (Gerd-Jan Poortman)
In the super-competitive 41-strong XOD class Astralita is the boat of the ‘moment’.
Sailed by John Tremlett, Tim Copsey and Fraser Graham, this team had a couple of wins on the first two days and ninth on Tuesday, so was looking to get back in the groove.
However, in the light tricky, conditions and after two general recalls, it was Penny Fulford and team on Madeleine who sailed impressively in the extremely difficult conditions to take first place, nearly two minutes ahead of Astralita.
X One Design overall leaders :
1, ASTRALITA (John Tremlett, Tim Copsey & Fraser Graham)
2, XCITATION (Roger Yeoman, Mike Moss & Jeremy Llewelyn)
3, MADELEINE (Penelope Fulford)
4, X RAY (James Markby, David Bedford, Ben Paton)
5, GONE AWAY (Steve Lawrence, Damian Ash & Finbarr McCormack)
Back on shore competitors enjoyed the welcoming dry conditions and were able to embrace the fun, social side of the regatta with the legendary red cap Mount Gay Crew Party at the Event Centre on Cowes Yacht Haven this evening.
The Musto Bar in the Yacht Haven was also buzzing, and Cowes Parade Cowes Week Regatta Village was the place to be for a delicious selection of food and drink, as well as its popular acoustic sets on the main stage, which ran throughout the day.
Read the full Cowes Week Reopt here.
Leading Results Day 6, 3 August 2023:
New York Yacht Club Challenge Cup
1, Gladiator (AJ Langley)
2, Khumbu (Guy Gillon)
3, Ino Noir (James Neville)
IRC Class 0
1, Gladiator (AJ Langley)
2, Khumbu (Guy Gillon)
3, Ino Noir (James Neville)
IRC Class 1
1, Garm (GARM)
2, Bulldog (Derek Shakespeare)
3, Pintia (Gilles Fournier & Corinne Migraine)
IRC Class 2
1, Leon (David Franks)
2, Yes! (Adam Gosling)
3, Arcus (John Howell & Paul Newell)
IRC Class 3
1, Juke Box (John Smart)
2, Witchcraft (Nick Burns)
3, Jalapeno 3 (Brian Denney & Hannah Le Prevost)
IRC Class 4
1, Cetewayo (David Murrin)
2, J’Ronimo (David R Greenhalgh)
3, Quokka 9 (Mr Peter C Rutter)
IRC Class 5
1, Expressly Forbidden (Lulu Wallis)
2, Banter (Handley James Families)
3, Fox (Clem & Nat Ives)
IRC Class 6
1, Shadowfax (David Rolfe)
2, Spirit Of Kudu (Mark Watkins)
3, Chaser (Dave Cheney, Glenn Ventham & Phil Leach)
IRC Class 7
1, Woof (Jo Richards)
2, Hasta La Vista (Rick White, Pete Overton, Rob Edwards & Andy Brown)
3, Sonic (Robin Leather)
Performance Cruiser A
1, Xcapade (Andy Robinson)
2, Tiaki (Charles Youngman)
3, Seasalt (Simon & Julia Bowes)
Performance Cruiser B
1, High Spirit (Andy Maskell & David Dunn)
2, Whisper (Chris & Victoria Preston)
3, Scandal (Nick Hampton)
Club Cruiser C
1, Qioptiq Bayonet (Andrew Hadfield)
2, Par Excellence (Knowall IT)
3, Gladeye (Maj PJR Chishick)
Club Cruiser D
1, Aqua (Ushaka) (Mark Attrill)
2, Panda Of Hamble (Barnes & Smyth)
3, Star-Born 4 (Peter Dickson/Andrew Yates)
Cape 31 (Race 6)
1, Flying Jenny (Sandra Askew)
2, Tokoloshe 4 (David Bartholomew)
3, Akheilos (Ben Pritchard)
Contessa 32
1, Longay II (GT de Trafford, R Erskine-Crum & JB Biddle)
2, Andaxi (Donna Rouse-Collen)
3, Jemmana (Elsa Swetenham)
Daring
1, Destroyer (Jamie Sheldon)
2, Dancer (Kim Orchard)
3, Dauntless (Giles Peckham, Milo Carver, Richard Romer-Lee & Jane Peckham)
Dragon
1, Bluebottle (Graham Bailey)
2, Furious (Owen Pay)
3, True Story (Stavros)
Etchells
1, Ada (Oliver Maclean)
2, Palaver (Kai Hockley)
3, Exab (Shaun Frohlich)
First 40
1, Tilt (Alex & Andy Moore)
2, Olympia’S Tigress (Hugh Torode & Susan Glenny)
Flying 15
1, Men Behaving Badly (Rupert Mander)
2, Akarana (Graham Deegan)
3, Fourwinds (Charles Apthorp)
HP30
1, Moral Compass (Jerry Hill & Richie Faulkner)
2, Vendetta (Lucian Stone)
3, Assasin (Malcolm Offord)
J/70 (Race 8)
1, Woof! (John Greenland)
2, Offbeat (David McLeman)
3, Suliaman (Jon Redding)
J/109
1, Juke Box (John Smart)
2, Witchcraft (Nick Burns)
3, Jenie (Rosie Berry)
Mermaid
1, Bluebell (Ben Few Brown)
2, Zara (Stewart)
3, Rosemary (Rosemary)
Redwing
1, Harlequin (Matthew Alexander, John Raymond & Alexander Shaw)
2, Enigma (Downer Family)
3, Capella II (Hugo Cuddigan)
SB20 (Race 8)
1, Game Of Thrones (Rob Gascoigne & Steve Restall)
2, Breaking Bod (Paddy Whelan)
3, Crimson Typhoon (Harry Barker)
Sonar
1, Bertie (Alistair Barter & Richard Bailey)
2, Cowes Match Racing (Ruby Sunderland)
3, Acf Sparepart (Andrew Cassell Foundation)
Sonata
1, Sonic (Robin Leather)
2, Dick Dastardly (Dawn Bee)
3, Presto (Tim Exell, Adam Ridett, Chris Ridett & Daniel Ridett)
Squib
1, Lucky Counts (Jono Brown & Chris Agar)
2, Aquabat (Steve Warren-Smith)
3, Kestrel (Charlie, Thomas & Harry White)
Sunbeam
1, Holly (Martin & Vicky Jones)
2, Danny (Roger Wickens)
3, Serendipity (Adrian & Nikki Edwards)
Sunsail 41
1, Sunsail Solaris (California Luffin’)
2, The Magenta Project (Collinson Group)
3, Sunsail Zephyr (Deloitte)
Victory
1, Ziva (Jim Downing)
2, Peregrine (Duncan Evans, Carol Evans & Tom Hartridge)
3, Zilch (Nick Benham, Ian Perryman & Clive Good)
X One Design
1, Madeleine (Penelope Fulford)
2, Astralita (John Tremlett, Tim Copsey & Fraser Graham)
3, Gleam (J. Meaning)
