Victory class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week after Day 3
by Andrew Thomas 13 Aug 2012 20:58 BST
11-18 August 2012
Victory class at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week © Rick Tomlinson /
www.rick-tomlinson.com
The opening races for the Victory Class at this year's Cowes Week have been met with the usual high spirited and high class sailing to be expected from this well-loved and well established Solent class. Saturday's race saw high dramas in the strong and gusty winds. With many place changes, Z78 helmed by Jim Downey took line honours.
Day 2 saw lighter winds but equally exciting racing. Again positions changed frequently as the fleet paced back and forth on the northern shores where the renowned Solent tides provided both benefit and disadvantage. Again Z78 owned by Mark Dennington won the day.
Day 3 has seen lighter southerly and unpredictable winds. With the boats spending the first half of the race on the northern side of the Solent, the racing was close as could be with Z57 and Z49 battling it out before returning to the Island shores. As with all Cowes weeks, under the lee of Norris Point the winds faded, and in the strong tides place changes became random and frequent. Seeing the problems to come, Z78 kept in deep water and with better wind crossed the line in first place making it a hat trick for the week so far.
Victory class results so far can be found here.