Charles Dunstone's Cockburn’s Red takes New York YC Challenge Cup

by Sally Bolt on 12 Aug 2007
Cockburn’s Red, skippered by The Carphone Warehouse Group CEO Charles Dunstone, sailed into first place in the battle for the New York YC Challenge Cup during Skandia Cowes Week 2007.

Despite shifting breezes, Cockburn’s Red took the finishing gun with a resounding five minute win over current class leader Flash Glove thanks to adopting different sail tactics to the rest of the fleet.

Desperate to catch a breath of the wind in the northern channel, Class 1 IRC yachts across The Solent hoisted their asymmetric spinnakers as soon as they were able. Not so Charles Dunstone – opting for a jib, Cockburn’s Red picked up the pace and although second over the finish line, came in first on handicap.

Charles Dunstone commented: 'This is our first win in Skandia Cowes Week 2007 and we are raring for more. Our performance is getting better each day and we are starting to really shake things up in our class; we are currently third overall.'

In Skandia Cowes Week 2006 Red, a TP52 high performance yacht was the winner of the ‘Royal London Yacht Club Day’.

For the first time, COCKBURN’S® - the UK’s no.1 Port brand*, is the Official Port of Skandia Cowes Week 2007, and as such has partnered with Red as part of a programme to raise awareness of Cockburn’s Ports in the sailing world including the new drink of the summer Cockburn’s Light White Port and Tonic.