Sparkling sun, glistening seas and a decent breeze. The sixth day of Skandia Cowes Week showcased the best champagne sailing conditions, helping along the celebration of women in sailing on Liz Earle Ladies Day.
With 14 knot winds that came in as expected from the south west, the fleet enjoyed some of the best racing of the Week.
Dunstone takes New York YC Challenge Cup
Charles Dunstone and his crew on the TP52 Rio were in blistering form to win the New York YC Challenge Cup, which this year was contested by the fleets in IRC Class Zero and Class 1.
All week, Dunstone has watched Niklas Zennstrom's Ran get the better of the conditions but in 14 knot breezes, Rio whizzed around the 36nm course to post an emphatic four minute win over their rivals to crank up the pressure for the rest of the Week.
Quest turns heads in XODs
The X One Design class, the second largest fleet at Cowes with a field of 80 craft, is guaranteed to deliver a smattering of ‘bejabers' moments and 2008 is no exception.
Neil Payne, a former Dragons and Etchells sailor from Cowes has spent the past two and a half years restoring Quest, which was originally built in 1935. Six weeks ago, he put it in the water and this morning, he was lying near the top of the leaderboard which, bearing in mind he has not raced an XOD for 25 years, has been a bit of a surprise.
While still without a win, he has posted a succession of top ten results but is feeling the pressure. After discards, Quest lies in third place behind Stuart Jardine's Lone Star and 2007 Captain's Cup winner Simon Russell in Swallow which was one of the 30 boats to retire on Wednesday due to lack of breeze
Celebrations for Sunbeam
The 18 Sunbeam skippers and their crews will gather at The Prospect tonight to officially celebrate their 85th birthday, so an early conclusion to racing today thanks to the helpful breezes, was welcomed.
Daisy, last year's winner and a competitor in 1923 when the class was first introduced, leads the Sunbeams overall but Roger Wickens's Danny and Richard Pearson's Fay are both in with a shout for the title with two races left.
The top three boats represent 236 years worth of classic wooden keelboat history and the anniversary celebrations are sure to reflect the Sunbeam's graceful and distinguished heritage.
Skandia Cowes Week - Overall leading positions after day 6
Black Group Overall
1, DEAN AND DYBALL (Ian Braham)
2, MADELAINE (E Donald, M Donald, I Donald, R Reed, L Jones and S Reed)
3, SALVO (Mr & Mrs Peter Morton)
4, AMEY LOVE SHACK (Tim Spalding and Gareth Lloyd-Jones)
5, ZELDA (Mike Ewart-Smith and Ben Richards)
6, WHITE MISCHIEF (Jay Partridge)
7, JOE 90 (Dunacan Mcdonald and Charlie Wise)
8, ESPADA (Louise Morton)
9, RAN (Niklas Zennstrom) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
White Group Overall
1, SAVAGE SAILING TEAM (Liz Savage and Chris Savage)
2, ZINNIA (John Tremlett and Jeremy Lear)
3, PANI MUNTA (Mike Probert and James Bryer)
4, BETTY (Jon Powell)
5, SKUA (Harry Roome)
6, MEN BEHAVING BADLY (Rupert Mander)
7, DAUNTLESS (G Peckham, M Carver and R Romer-Lee)
8, DAISY (Dr Mike Moss and Mike Law)
9, TEAM PINDAR (Ian Williams, Simon Shaw and Mark Nicoles)
Class Zero IRC
1, RAN (Niklas Zennstrom) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
2, RIO (Charles Dunstone) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
3, STAY CALM (Stuart Robinson)
4, PANTHERA (Benny Kelly) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
5, HENRI LLOYD (Robert Lutener and Martin Elwood)
6, ALEGRE (Andy Soriano)
7, CHERNIKEEFF 2 (Peter Harrison) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
8, JOHN MERRICKS II (Volvo RYA Keelboat Programme) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
9, BEAR OF BRITAIN (Priory Bay Hotel)
10, FORMIDABLE 3 (Peter Vroon)
Class 1 IRC
1, POPPY OF PORTLAND (John Dean and David Lancefield)
2, MOANA (Francois Goubau)
3, DARK & STEAMY (Nick & Annie Haigh)
4, PACE (Simon Tate and Johnny Vincent)
5, OYSTERCATCHER XXVI (Richard Matthews)
6, DAIKIN AIRCO (Frans Van Der Heijden)
7, DESPERADO (Richard Loftus)
8, YES! MURPHY & NYE (Adam Gosling)
9, FAIR DO'S VII (John Shepherd)
10, ITALIA UNIVERSAL (Richard Rankin)
Class 2 IRC
1, PREMIER FLAIR (Jim MacGregor)
2, ALLARD (Rudi Floridor) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
3, ERIVALE III (M Greville)
4, NUTMEG IV (Fransois Lognone) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
5, ANTILOPE (Willem Wester)
6, KING LOUIE (Fiona & Malcolm Thorpe)
7, JOLLY JELLY FISH (David Richards)
8, QUOKKA (Mr Simon Coleridge)
9, FINISTERRE CAPITAL (Baune, Duplan and Renier)
10, SKY HUNTER (Peter Bainbridge)
Class 3 IRC
1, HURRYCANE VI (Kenny Bruneflod)
2, SEATRACK (Peter Scholfield)
3, GRAND SLAM (Mike Ronson and Robin Dollar)
4, SLEEPER (Jonty & Vicky Layfield)
5, ALARIS (John Howell)
6, STEADY BARKER (Michael Brough)
7, X DREAM (Matthew Vincent)
8, EALA (Jan De Vries)
9, JAGUAR LOGIC (Ras Turner, Sailing Logic Ltd)
10, BOOMERANG (Leo Boom)
Class 4 IRC
1, SALVO (Mr & Mrs Peter Morton)
2, WINSOME (Harry J Heijst)
3, XCITABLE (Peter Hodgkinson and Sarah Bailey)
4, VANILLA (Niek Spiljard)
5, SHIP SHOP AQUAHOLIC (Wilmet and Grecourt)
6, INGWE (Steve Dyke and Dominic Anschutz)
7, HOT RATS (Robbie & Lis Robinson)
8, HABANERO (Christophe Clarke)
9, TIGER DEVELOPMENTS (Peter Parker)
10, JOS OF HAMBLE (Professor Roger Williams)
Class 5 IRC (Sigma 38)
1, THE PROJECT (Andy Budgen and Freddie Schwyn)
2, MEFISTO (Kevin Sussmilch)
3, LIGHT (Robert Denning)
4, PERSEPHONE OF LONDON (Nigel Goodhew)
5, MONET (Dave Cooke)
6, WITH ALACRITY (Chris & Vanessa Choules)
7, PAVLOVA III (Max Walker)
8, DRAGONFLY OF BOSHAM (N & A Aitchison)
9, TORBELLINO (Colin Mackey, Simon Newton and Richard Strauss)
10, FLORENCE AGNES II (Roger Evans)
Class 6 IRC
1, DEAN AND DYBALL (Ian Braham)
2, COOL BLUE (Simon Cory)
3, SAIL4CANCER (David Cullen)
4, RUTHLESS (Martin Pearson)
5, ELUSIVE (Jackie & Robert Dobson)
6, ATHENA (David Glasgow and The Earl of Cork and Orrery)
7, POLLY'S KETTLE (Simon Law)
8, 2XS (Aindriu McCormack)
9, VETO (Peter Dessent)
10, PADDIYWACK (Island Youth Water Activities Centre)
Class 7 IRC (Sigma 33)
1, WORKOUT (Jeff Worboys)
2, SHADOWFAX (Andy Johns and David Rolfe)
3, ALEXA (Ian Le Maitre)
4, ATTILA THE NUN (James Brown, Katy Brown, Christian Ardley and Neil Davison)
5, HERITAGE (Bernard Kinchin)
6, PROSPERO OF HAMBLE (Bob Mills)
7, SIXES AND SEVENS (Stuart Whitmore - London Fire Brigade Sailing Club)
8, SPIRIT OF KUDU (Mark Watkins)
9, EXCELLE (James Russell)
10, MUSKOKA (Ed Smith) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
Class 8 IRC
1, WHITE MISCHIEF (Jay Partridge)
2, SLINKY (Peter Nicholson)
3, SIMPLICITY (Rory Fitzwilliams)
4, LITTLE EMILY (Richard Oswald)
5, HOBBY HORSE (Mick Fawcett) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
6, RAINBOW (Rick Farrance, Tom Hale, John Hale and Jack Hale)
7, REACTION (Rob Booth and Mark Dale)
8, CRAKAJAX (Richard Hollis and Ursula Bagnall)
9, WHITE HEATHER (Janet Lionel and David Miller)
10, KYMATA (Tony White)
Class 9 IRC
1, MADELAINE (E Donald, M Donald, I Donald, R Reed, L Jones and S Reed)
2, PALOMA (Jim Tennant)
3, FRANKIE THE RHINO (Owain, Jez, Tom and Chant)
4, THE APPRENTICE (Jack Grogan and Jessica Gozzett)
5, G-STRING (Kieron O'connell)
6, MERGANSER (Catherine Munro Kerr) *** OUTSTANDING PROTEST ***
7, PIZZICATO (Tom White)
8, ROSAIRE (Mr Michael Squire)
9, FSHARP (David Hunter)
10, DOLLY (Laura Johnson)
1720
1, ALLTALK (Neil Angel)
2, CRESCENDO (James W Flynn)
3, GO FE
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