Racing at its finest opened Cowes Week's 200th anniversary on Tuesday, with near-perfect conditions greeting more than 640 boats and 6,000 sailors on the Solent.
A two-hour postponement under bright sunshine tested crews' patience before the anticipated 20-knot sea breeze filled in exactly as forecast. With the ebb tide running against the wind, the Solent served up its signature short, steep chop. Sunshine, big breeze, and two centuries of history — there was plenty to like.
The new Vintage Class led away first, a nod to the anniversary, quickly followed by more than forty J/70s. The contrast between the two fleets captured something of what makes the regatta unique.
The J/70s, SB20s, and RS21s enjoyed a three-race day while the bigger boats took orienteering-style courses stretching as far west as Lymington, with the day-boats racing up and down the island shore.
Tide-influenced starts produced a number of high-profile OCS results. The Sportsboat class was the worst affected, with half of the ten-boat fleet scored on course side. The most notable was Ino Veritas in IRC Class Zero, with America's Cup legend Dean Barker calling the shots. That OCS removed Ino from contention for the Queens Cup, presented by the Royal Southampton Yacht Club, which combined IRC Class Zero and One with the Cape 31s. The trophy went to Julian Metherell's Cape 31 Bullet. Metherell and his team took the two big trophies on the day and will be a serious threat when those classes combine again on Wednesday and Thursday.
In the biggest class of the week, X One Design, Fraser Graham's Astralita took the bullet by just nine seconds from Paul Mitchell's Lone Star.
LMIs IRC Class Three renewed a familiar rivalry, with Adam Gosling's Yes! taking the win over David Frank's J/112 Leon, though it was the Dutch sistership Jack Rabbit that finished second on corrected time. Leon's week began poorly with an OCS.
The closest result of the day came in ISC Class Six, where just one second on corrected time separated Sam Laidlaw's Quarter Tonner BLT from Giovanni Belgrano's Laurent Giles-designed classic Whooper. The two boats are roughly 60 years apart in design and technology, which made the IRC rule's ability to produce that result all the more impressive.
The final spinnaker run down Cowes Green in the Sunbeam class brought a six-second win for Becci and Roger Wickens over Robert Coltart's Peggy. Roger described the last run as "living hell!" though with a smile, the Sunbeams weaving through other classes against the tide toward the RYS finish line.
Principal Race Officer Phil Warwick had backed himself sending the day boats west into a building breeze and ebb tide, and the call paid off. Hundreds of boats came down the Green under spinnaker in sparkling conditions to close out day one.
After years of declining entries following Covid, Cowes Week looks in strong health. With new title sponsor North Sails aboard and six more race days ahead, the 200th edition is shaping up well.
