"Glamma", gorgeous Cowes Week
by J/Boats 5 Aug 2024 17:03 BST
27 July - 2 August 2024
Cowes Week day 1 © Tom Hicks /
www.solentaction.com
For the first week of August, the Cowes Combined Clubs hosted their annual highlight of the summer sailing season on the Solent, the infamous Cowes Race Week off Cowes, Isle of Wight.
Yet again, hundreds of boats and thousands of sailors flooded the quaint seaside town with raucous parties and challenging sailing on the capricious waters of the famously fast-flowing currents of the Solent Water.
The racing was benign by Solent standards, with mostly warm "shirts & shades" weather, sunny skies, light to medium airs in general, and lots of socializing ashore. Here is how it all went down by division.
IRC 2 Division
This eighteen-boat division saw the J/122s predominate. Winning was the Brian Jones Family team from Ireland on their J/122 JELLY BABY and taking second was Derek Shakespeare's J/122 BULLDOG.
IRC 3 Division
This fifteen-boat fleet saw David Franks's J/112E LEON again battle a boat called YES. In the end, Adam Gosling's professionally sailed YES team triumphed in their duel over Frank's all-corinthian crew on LEON... happily earning their silver medal in this tough division.
IRC 4 Division- the J/Boats Division
All nine entries in this fleet were J/Teams! Taking class honors was Matt Waite's J/99 FURTHER WEST, followed by Richard Newsom's J/105 JAVELIN in second place, and Libby Finch, Jack & Joe Banks, & Penny Jeffcoate's J/92 NIGHTJAR taking the bronze medal.
Performance Cruise B Division
This fifteen-boat fleet saw Andy Hunt's J/120 ASSARAIN III take the silver medal.
J/109 Class
The nine entries in the fleet J/109 class saw very spirited competition. In the end, it was the Dutch on top! Winning was Arjen van Leeuwen & Silvy Leijh's JOULE, followed by John Smart's JUKEBOX in second, and Charlie & Rosie Berry's JENIE in third place.
J/70 Class
With thirty entries, the J/70 class was the largest international class sailing at Cowes Week. The week consisted of the short series and the week-long series.
J/70 Short Series
Winning was Martin Dent's JELVIS. Second was Bill Edwards & Ian Dobson's SARDONYX, followed by Simon Patterson's STANDFAST in third place.
J/70 Long Series
Winning was Patterson's STANDFAST, followed by Bertie Fisher's POWERHOUSE in second place, and the Edwards & Dobson team's SARDONYX in third position.