RS Elites at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week - Preview
by Martin Wadhams 5 Aug 2011 11:21 BST
6-13 August 2011
As the Cowes Fleet gathers there are two major titles at stake, Cowes Week itself and the new Southern Area Championships, sponsored by the Lymington Fleet, which will be competed for over the first four days of Cowes.
Some of the great and good of RS Elite racing will be in the small but competitive fleet. Three National Champions, (Jono Brown, Crauford Mckeon and Al 'Buzz' Keck) and two boats that have won Cowes 5 times between them in the last eight years, Cio Bella and E'Tu.
With last years nail biting finish, E'Tu just winning on count back and only 2 points separating the first 5 finishers, still fresh in everyone's minds the pressure is really on with everything to prove and everything to lose.
The main 'runners and riders' are...
Aeolis: Fresh from their popular win in Edinburgh, Double National Champions Jono, Lyn and David Brown, are very keen for a top four place as this will give them the prestigious Grand Slam Trophy on count back over Simon Brien in Kin. But their real target will be a win, as Cowes is the only major that has eluded them so far.
Cio Bella: Triple Cowes winners Mike Tong, Peter Wareham and Richard Curties, will always be contenders in this challenging event. Their not called "The Wily Old Foxes" for nothing.
E'Tu: Double Cowes winners and defending Champions Steve Powell, Buzz Keck and David Botterill, will be trying to prove that their disappointing showing at the Nationals was a 'one off'. Now proud owners of the 'Duckhams Trophy' a back-to-back win at Cowes might ease the pain.
Kandoo III: 2009 National Champion Crauford McKeon, a very, very close 2nd in Cowes last year is clearly focused on a win this year. He will also be very keen on the new Southern Area Championship Trophy.
RSSailing.com: Martin and Amanda Wadhams, always strong contenders in any Elite event and a strong track record at Cowes will have a keen eye on the Southern Area Championship Trophy against club rival Crauford McKeon.
Amongst other boats competing are a couple of 'unknowns' and potential contenders. Roger Wilson, our fantastic RLymYC Race Officer from 2009 in Matterhorn Jack, first time in an Elite at Cowes I believe. He'll know all the rules so watch out. Charlie Egerton-Warburton in Soak Therapy, who has won Cowes before but in a Daring, could be an interesting newcomer. Other first timers include Damien Jouvent and Julien Bridel in Foudafafa, Jeremy Tolhurst in Outlaw, and Marcus Bates in Timeless.
So everything to play for...