Cowes Week

Yacht Racing during Cowes Week
Picture courtesy of Isle of Wight Tourism

Cowes Week is held in the town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of England and is the longest-running, regular regatta in the world. It is held in early August, set as running in the social calendar after Goodwood which, in most years means, from the first Friday to the following Friday, after the last Tuesday in July. 2004 saw an example of the week being moved to the week after this, due to the dangers the scheduled tides would cause to craft racing in the usual week. The regatta finishes with a large evening firework display launched from barges in the Solent, an area of water between southern England and the Isle of Wight.

A typical Cowes Week now has at least thirty-five starts a day for the same number of the classes; the number of boats taking part is around nine hundred. Classes include cruiser-racers, one designs and keelboat classes. Cowes also plays host to visiting foreign warships, sail training vessels and celebrated high profile yachts. During this time the Solent is filled with sailing boats of all classes and is particularly colourful due to the display of different spinnakers (the large triangular sail hoisted at the front of a yacht).

As well as the sailing related activities, the week includes a number of onshore events including live music and cocktail parties. From marquees erected in the marinas serving food and drink, through to crowds overflowing from busy public houses and restaurants around the narrow high street, the town becomes a hive of activity into the early hours of each evening.

History

The festival originates from the Prince Regent's own interest in yachting when he became George IV in 1820. The first race started at 09:30 on Thursday the 10th August 1826 with the prize of a "Gold Cup of the value of £100" and was held under the flag of the Royal Yacht Club, which later became the Royal Yacht Squadron. Another race occurred the next day for prize money only (£30 for first place, £20 for second).

Until World War I, the big cutters and raters raced, while in the twenties and thirties there were cruiser handicap classes and local one-designers (although the six to eight and twelve metres attracted the most racing interest)

Following World War II, when there was a revival of big yacht racing, ocean racing classes started to pre-dominate, especially after the first Admiral's Cup event was held in 1957 and the growth in popularity of the two ocean-going races that start and finish the regata The Channel and Fastnet. The Fastnet Race is held in odd-numbered years only, so another offshore course is sailed in even years.

In the decades following World War II, yachting moved away from its image as a rich man's sport to one which is enjoyed by many today. The attraction of Cowes Week has also given life to many water based activities and sailing schools promoting the sport of sailing to all age groups and walk of life. Although certain functions in the week still regarded as being the preserve of the elite or members only clubs, Cowes Week emcompasses a wide portfolio of events and attractions open to the public. These are marketed to a very diverse range of interests, including ones totally unconnected with sailing.

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