Cowes Week 2023, 27 July-2 August, marked the third year the CA has partnered with the regatta to support the increasingly popular Club Cruiser Class.
Welcoming thirty-three entries, the Club Cruiser Class is ideal for family crews, accommodates all skill levels, and the one race per day format features courses to suit cruising boats.
The regatta got off to a thrilling start, with sparkling sunshine, and winds gusting well over 20 knots on Saturday’s opening day, guaranteeing adrenalin-charged racing for the nearly 500 boats taking part.
Strong breeze was the theme of the regatta, with winds of 35-40 knots on the Solent forcing racing to be abandoned for two days, although many were happy to rest from the heavy conditions. The five days of racing that unfolded delivered fantastic racing.
Sponsored by the Cruising Association, the popularity of racing in the Club Cruiser Class was evident with the growing number of entries switching from cruising to racing for Cowes Week making it one of the biggest fleets, boosted also by the launch of the new three-day Weekend Warriors Cup.
The nine entries in the Weekend Warriors raced their mini-series within the Club Cruiser Class, with the inaugural race in the fresh conditions proving a real baptism of fire. A win to Tom Rose’s Beneteau Oceanis 37 ‘C’est Si Bon’ set the benchmark, as his team continued to maintain their form and claim the Weekend Warriors victory after three races. A special presentation took place at the Royal Yacht Squadron, where the team was presented with the all-new trophy and a CA goodie bag.
Competing in the full regatta, the Club Cruiser Class was split into two fleets. Close racing saw strong performances from many demonstrated by nine teams claiming finishes inside the top three as they jostled for podium places.
The final day was a tense affair as the weather change to a lighter shifty breeze demanded a switch in race strategy. Two boats, ‘Panda of Hamble’ a Westerly Fulmar 32 and ‘Aqua’ a Dehler, were in the running for overall glory. Despite ‘Aqua’ dominating to take the race win, a third-place finish to ‘Panda’ was enough to hold the points advantage, claim the regatta win and successfully defend their 2022 title. Third to the Sigma 362 ‘Phoenix Too’.
At the event prize giving, Race Director Laurence Mead and Cowes Week Chairman Bob Trimble presented ‘Panda of Hamble’ with the Club Cruiser Class Trophy, a one-year complimentary CA membership, CA Almanac and CA goodie bag.
Club Cruiser Class - Top 5 Overall
- Panda of Hamble / Skipper: Barnes and Smyth – 16.74 pts
- Aqua / Skipper: Mark Attrill – 20.41 pts
- Phoenix Too / Skipper: Mark Hammond – 34.80 pts
- Par Excellence / Skipper: Knowall IT – 39.60 pts
- Star-Born 4 / Skipper: Peter Dickson/Andrew Yates – 42.87 pts
Weekend Warriors Cup – Top 5 Overall
- C’est Si Bon / Skipper: Bonnay Racing – 12 pts
- Jes / Skipper: Stewart Hawthorn – 30.87 pts
- Soiree / Skipper: Connor Campbell-Coleman – 36 pts
- Katya / Skipper: Lilias Lamont – 39.80 pts
- Wight Lyon / Skipper: Gordon Lyon – 42.00 pts
For full results, news, photos, video and more go to: www.cowesweek.co.uk.
Join the CA
To celebrate the partnership with Cowes Week, the Cruising Association offered all competitors a 25% discount on membership. Membership gives two people access to a package of year-round benefits, an unrivalled information and advice resource and use of our members’ club house in London.
Image sources: © Cowes Week / © Paul Wyeth /© Martin Allen Photography
9 August 2023