Cowes Week 2023 got off to a thrilling start Saturday with sparkling sunshine, and winds gusting well over 20kts from the southwest.
Not only did the conditions make for an adrenalin-charged day of racing for competitors but it also gave the crowds of spectators gathered along The Green plenty of thrills.
Given the forecast, which was for the wind to increase with gusts up to 30kts later in the day, the Race Committee including Peter Saxton (Principal Race Officer), and Laurence Mead (Regatta Director) confirmed a decision to ‘concertina’ the start sequence.
“The idea was to get everyone back on shore by 14:30,” said Mead. “We’ve added a lot of flexibility to our race strategy and our race programme, which is largely thanks to the App. We divided up the starts and we managed to get everyone away by 12:20. ”
“Usually, we’d have another hour and a quarter to go on a normal day of starts but that would have coincided with the big breeze coming in, so we were pleased to have got everyone back on shore before the worst of the wind arrived.”
Later, back on shore, competitors enjoyed time to relax with the first evening of post-race entertainment before preparing for Sunday’s second day of racing.
Although the forecast shows slightly less wind than Saturday early on, it shows more later.
Therefore a similar programme of morning racing is likely Sunday.
Leading Results Day 1 29 July:
IRC Class 0
1, Gladiator (AJ Langley)
2, Dark N Stormy (Ian Atkins)
3, Khumbu (Guy Gillon)
IRC Class 1
1, Xanaboo (Bruce Huber & Hugh Doherty)
2, Gp Bullhound (GARM)
3, Frequent Flyer (Mikey Wollmann)
IRC Class 2
1, Yes! (Adam Gosling)
2, Leon (David Franks)
3, Arcus (John Howell & Paul Newell)
IRC Class 3
1, Elaine Again (Ed Mockridge)
2, Juke Box (John Smart)
3, Zarafa (Brita Van Rossum)
IRC Class 4
1, J’Ronimo (David R Greenhalgh)
2, Winsome (Harry J. Heijst)
3, Quokka 9 (Mr Peter C Rutter)
IRC Class 5
1, Banter (Handley James Families)
2, Whooper (Giovanni Belgrano)
3, Jetwho? (The Lads)
IRC Class 6
1, Kerry Jeanne (Gary Bowers)
2, Stan The Boat (Toby Gorman)
3, Shadowfax (David Rolfe)
IRC Class 7
1, Woof (Jo Richards)
2, So (Kevin Downer)
3, Joey (Will Smyth)
Performance Cruiser A
1, Belladonna (Richard Dilley)
2, Eager (Chris Cecil-Wright)
3, Desperado (Richard Loftus)
Performance Cruiser B
1, Elidie (Neil Miller)
2, High Spirit (Andy Maskell & David Dunn)
3, Arcadian (Simon Grigg and Anne Jackson)
Club Cruiser C
1, Par Excellence (Knowall IT)
2, C’Est Si Bon (Bonnay Racing)
3, Gladeye (Maj PJR Chishick)
Club Cruiser D
1, Panda Of Hamble (Barnes & Smyth)
2, Aqua (Ushaka) (Mark Attrill)
3, Haggis 2 (Andrew Buchanan)
Cape 31 (Race 1)
1, Flying Jenny (Sandra Askew)
2, Chaotic (Nick Phillips)
3, Arabella (Naill Dowling)
Cape 31 (Race 2)
1, Arabella (Naill Dowling)
2, Antix (Anthony O’Leary)
3, Flying Jenny (Sandra Askew)
Contessa 32
1, Drumbeat (Eldred Himsworth, Mark Himsworth & Roger Shapland)
2, Andaxi (Donna Rouse-Collen)
3, Jemmana (Elsa Swetenham)
Daring
1, Darling (Mike Greville & Bob Gatehouse)
2, Dauntless (Giles Peckham, Milo Carver, Richard Romer-Lee & Jane Peckham)
3, Darius (W Ansell, O Laughton-Scott, R Simpson, S Broxham, A Neill, A)
Dragon
1, True Story (Stavros)
2, Bluebottle (Graham Bailey)
3, Jerboa (Gavia Wilkinson-Cox)
Etchells
1, Ada (Oliver Maclean)
2, No Dramas (Beadsworth/Blowers)
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, Over The Moon (Rob Goddard)
3, Crews Missile (Peter Card)
HP30
1, Moral Compass (Jerry Hill & Richie Faulkner)
2, Mako (Ian & Imogen Watkins)
3, Assasin (Malcolm Offord)
J/70 (Race 1)
1, Eat Sleep J Repeat (Paul Ward)
2, Jelvis (Martin Dent)
3, Jellyfish (Mr Finley Adam Dickinson)
J/70 (Race 2)
1, Dads ‘N’ Lads (Tim Simpson & Ole Bettum)
2, Jelvis (Martin Dent)
3, Eat Sleep J Repeat (Paul Ward)
J/109
1, Juke Box (John Smart)
2, Witchcraft (Nick Burns)
3, Jenie (Rosie Berry)
Mermaid
1, Mimosa (Mimosa)
2, Rosemary (Rosemary)
3, Bluebell (Ben Few Brown)
Redwing
1, Enigma (Downer Family)
2, Harlequin (Matthew Alexander, John Raymond & Alexander Shaw)
3, Paroquet (Rory Morrison)
SB20 (Race 1)
1, Tan Gwlyyt (Phil Tilley)
2, Absolute Carnage (Robin Kirby, Matt Williams & Chris Williams)
3, Breaking Bod (Paddy Whelan)
SB20 (Race 2)
1, Tan Gwlyyt (Phil Tilley)
2, Absolute Carnage (Robin Kirby, Matt Williams & Chris Williams)
3, Crimson Typhoon (Harry Barker)
Sonar
1, Jenny (Simon Clarke)
2, Cowes Match Racing (Ruby Sunderland)
3, Miscreant (David Peerless)
Sonata
1, Joey (Will Smyth)
2, 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, Fay (William Reid)
Sunsail 41
1, Sunsail Zephyr (Deloitte)
2, Raymarine Simply Superior (Don’t Panik)
3, Sunsail Solaris (California Luffin’)
Victory
1, Peregrine (Duncan Evans, Carol Evans & Tom Hartridge)
2, Zelia (Mr & Mrs Geoff Dixon)
3, Ziva (Jim Downing)
X One Design
1, Astralita (John Tremlett, Tim Copsey & Fraser Graham)
2, X Ray (James Markby, David Bedford, Ben Paton)
3, Phoenix (Andrew Shaw)