An unmissable Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week shaping up

Helena Lucas with the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Day Trophy © Rick Tomlinson

With less than two months to go until the start of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week 2014, excitement is building at Regatta HQ with a packed schedule ashore taking shape. Some of this year's highlights include:

UKSA activities (all week)

UKSA offers transformational opportunities to young people through sailing and watersports and is the official charity of the regatta in 2014. There is a raft of activities planned by the charity throughout the week designed to get as many people as possible actively engaged with the charity and take part in some fundraising at the same time. Plans include:

• "Try Sailing" taster sessions throughout the Week for visitors to the regatta.
• Gutter Boat Racing competition – everybody at the event can make their own gutter boats using any material they like, with the only specification that the gutter boat must fit within the dimensions of an A5 piece of paper, to fit in the guttering. A 'Top Gear' style scoreboard will keep a record of the leading participants; readymade gutter boats will also be provided for impromptu racing. To enter a team, simply email .
• "Boss up a Mast" – From Sunday 3 to Tuesday 5 August) one of UKSA's ocean-going Farrs will be moored in Cowes Yacht Haven for the 'Boss up a Mast' fundraising spectacle. Senior executives locked into a Spinlock Mast-Pro harness 100 ft up can only come down once they've gone through their mobile phone and urged their contacts to pledge donations to UKSA. To nominate a "boss", email .

Family Day (Sunday 3 August)

Now a regular feature of the regatta, Family Day offers a range of family-friendly activities. In addition to spot prizes being awarded to families racing together, flag-making colouring and painting competitions, and special Family Day discounts on the spectator boat trips and RIB rides, this year there will also be a performance of Wind in the Willows and an outdoor cinema at Northwood House. Circus skills and musical theatre workshops at Cowes Yacht Haven will provide fun for all, as well as air guitar competitions and much more on Cowes Parade, courtesy of Jack FM. You can even buy a special Family Day hamper from The Food Hamper in Cowes.

Check the event website for more details.

Ladies Day (Thursday 7 August)

Celebrating women in sailing, Ladies Day was first introduced at the regatta in 2006. In recognition of an outstanding contribution, commitment, or achievement of women in sailing the Ladies Day Trophy is awarded as part of the day's celebrations - nominations are now being accepted on the event website.

The process is simple, and anyone can nominate a female competitor at the regatta, past or present. Female competitors may even nominate themselves, or put someone else forward for nomination for their outstanding contribution; commitment; or achievement in sailing in general terms (not just at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week). The only criteria is that nominees must have competed at the regatta in recent years, and be available to attend the Ladies Day reception on Thursday 7 August where the Trophy will be awarded.

Nominations close at midnight on Monday 28th July. A judging panel of Double Olympic Gold Medallist, Shirley Robertson; the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation Trustee, Melanie Howard; Aberdeen Asset Management's Global Head of Human Resources, Kerry Christie; Yachting World's Features Editor, Elaine Bunting; and Cowes Week Limited's Sales & Marketing Director, Michelle Warner will determine the 2014 winner.

Fireworks (Friday 8 August)

The annual fireworks spectacular is scheduled to take place on Friday 8 August at 21:30, subject to sufficient funding.

Cowes Fireworks Committee is committed to securing the future success of the display and the committee has a long term objective to secure fireworks funding by working in partnership with:

• All financial beneficiaries of the display
• Those using the display as a backdrop to their own hospitality programme; and
• Those who are passionate about the display.

To secure the long-term future of the fireworks display that so many people enjoy, additional funding support is needed so Cowes Fireworks Committee urges anyone in the above categories to step forward to provide as little or as much funding support as possible. Donations can be made securely online. Details of those that have already stepped forward with their generous support are also included here.

In addition to these highlights, Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week has a packed schedule throughout the entire week and details of the full entertainments line-up at each of the venues can be found here.

Spectator Options

Visitors can enjoy watching much of the racing from the shore in Cowes. The Green and The Parade are great places to view the action and on Wednesday 6 August, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory Class, the event partners will be pitching their sailing skills against one another in an exhibition race-off after the main racing of the day has finished. It's going to be competitive so don't miss it!

For those who would like to get afloat, bookings are open for the event spectator boat service or the more adrenalin-fuelled RIB rides. To avoid disappointment, book online via the event website. Tickets for the spectator boat trips are £8 for children up to 16 years old and £12.50 for adults and RIB rides are £25 for children up to 16 years old and £35 for adults. Special discounted family tickets are also available, especially on Family Day.

Getting to Cowes

Red Funnel operate a hi-speed ferry service (25 minutes) between Cowes and Southampton giving fast access to the event from Southampton. In addition, a dedicated service operates between Lymington and Cowes throughout the event, courtesy of Blue Funnel.

For full details relating to this years event, visit www.aamcowesweek.co.uk. More exciting details to be announced soon...