Cowes Week - Countdown to jam-packed entertainment schedule begins

by Cowes Week on 20 Jun 2013 With little more than six weeks to go until Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week gets underway, organisers have today announced a packed schedule ashore with the launch of the highly-anticipated entertainment programme.

For those looking at sorting out their schedule of social activities, there is plenty in store. Some of this year’s highlights include:

The Toe in the Water Crew Party (Saturday 3 August)
Toe in the Water, is celebrating its third and final year as the official charity of the regatta in 2013 and will be campaigning several racing boats throughout the week, as well as holding a crew party at Cowes Yacht Haven to kick-off the social activities in the best possible way. Tickets are available at £5 each from the 1st July (with all proceeds from ticket sales going to Toe in the Water) and can be bought on the door on the night or in advance through Cowes Yacht Haven.

Family Day (Sunday 4 August)
Now a regular feature of the regatta, Family Day will once again offer a range of activities. Spot prizes will be awarded to families racing together as well as free and discounted activities for those ashore, including flag-making and painting competitions and special Family Day discounts on the spectator boat trips and RIB rides.

Ladies Day (Thursday 8 August)
Celebrating women in sailing is the focus for Ladies Day, in recognition of the major successes of women in one of the few mainstream sports where men and women compete on equal terms.

Ladies Day also celebrates and recognises sporting prowess across a wider range of sports and, working in partnership with the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation (WSFF), a number of female achievers across a range of sports will come together at the regatta in celebration of Ladies Day.

Nominations are now being accepted on the event website for the Ladies Day Trophy which recognises outstanding contribution, commitment, or achievement of women in sailing.

Fireworks (Friday 9 August)
It was announced last week that this year’s display will see the return of the ‘Counting Fireworks’. Thanks are extended to all those that have made a financial contribution to date and further online donations are welcomed.

In addition to these highlights, Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week has a packed schedule throughout the entire week and details of the full entertainments line-up at each of the venues can be found here.

Spectator Options
Visitors can enjoy watching much of the racing from the shore in Cowes. The Green and The Parade are great places to view the action, and organisers are working towards a programme of close-to-shore exhibition racing during the Week which includes the RS Elite’s Stadium Cup on the first Saturday, a sailing demo featuring some of Team Volvos ambassadors showcasing their top talents on Monday, and 18ft Skiffs also providing a close-to-shore spectacle on Wednesday and Thursday. All of these crowd-pleasers will take place off The Green between 5pm and 6pm.

For those who would like to get afloat, bookings are open for the event spectator boat service or the more adrenalin-fuelled RIB rides. Book-up online or in person during the event. Tickets for the spectator boat trips are £8 for children up to 16 years old and £12.50 for adults and RIB rides are £25 for children up to 16 years old and £35 for adults. Special discounted family tickets are also available.

Children’s Activities
For those attending the regatta and looking for activities to keep the children entertained, UKSA offer a range of fun day activities throughout the event.

For just £50 per person for eight to sixteen year-olds a choice of exciting watersports including instructor-led sessions of windsurfing, dinghy sailing, raft building and kayaking will be provided. Places are limited, so early booking is recommended. For further information regarding children's day sailing courses, contact Alix Berry at the UKSA on 01983 294941.

In addition, UKSA careers advisers will be around during the Week and will be searching for the perfect candidate to win a place on one of their three year Cadetships.

Getting to Cowes
Red Funnel operate a hi-speed ferry service (25 minutes) between Cowes and Southampton giving fast access to the event from Southampton. In addition, a dedicated service operates between Lymington and Cowes throughout the event, courtesy of Blue Cowes Week website