South African yacht wins at Cowes Week

by Richard Crockett on 10 Aug 2010 Cowes Week is now at an end, but this year for only the second time in the 168 year history of the event, one of the largest (with over 800 boats) and most prestigious sailing regattas in the World, a South African yacht has won its class.

'Jeroboam', chartered by Rick Garratt and led by Dave Hudson (helmsman) and Mark Sadler (tactician), easily won the J109 class with a race in hand. In doing so, they beat the current J109 European Champ, the UK Champ as well as the previous four-times winner of Cowes Week.

The crew of Hudson, Sadler, Dirk de Jager, Roy Dunster, Simon Eatwell, Karim El Shabrawy, Christopher Garratt, Marlon Jones and Wandisile Xampyi turned out to be a powerful combination of some of South Africa’s most exciting young sailing talent and experienced yachtsmen.

Sailed in the Solent, the stretch of sea between the South Coast of England and the Isle of Wight from 25 July to 7 August, Cowes Week is raced in waters notorious for sandbanks, difficult tides and incredibly stiff competition. Local knowledge is considered a prerequisite for winning.

Commenting on the Solent, tactician, Mark Sadler said: 'The Solent is a tricky place to sail so it has been a steep learning curve this week. We are used to sailing in strong breezes and not much tide. We had to get used to the area, a lot of current, and sailing in shallow water.'

For the South Africans, sailing an unfamiliar chartered yacht, the goal of Cowes Week was to get used to the Solent ahead of the Commodores Cup, an inter-country team event for large yachts, beginning on 14 August.

However, the South Africans did a whole lot better than that. While Garratt’s team won the J109s, Mike Bartholomew and crew on 'Tokoloshe' placed third in IRC Class 1 while the big boat in the South African Commodores Cup team, Phil Gutshe’s 'Windpower' (skippered by Rick Nankin) improved the whole week after a slow start, making them one of the yachts to watch in the Commodores Cup which starts this coming weekend.

For more information, please go to: www.cowesweek.co.uk or www.sailingmag.com