Record entry confirmed for Coutts Quarter Ton Cup 2010

The 2010 Coutts Quarter Ton Cup has a confirmed entry of 35 boats, the largest revival Quarter Ton Fleet assembled in the event's six year history. Sponsored by Coutts & Co the 2010 edition of this hugely popular regatta runs from Monday 14 to Wednesday 16 June and will once again be hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club from its stunning waterside clubhouse in Cowes.

The Quarter Ton Class has always attracted a loyal following and five of the boats racing this year have taken part in all six of the revived Coutts Quarter Ton Cups. Tony Dodd's Purple Haze, the original prototype for the popular Bolero Class, is a stalwart of the Quarter Tonners. Tony helped to form the revived class and has done much to support and encourage existing and new Quarter Ton owners to get involved.

Another boat without which the event simply wouldn't be complete is Paul Treliving's Odd Job, which Liz Rushall will helm this year. Odd Job is one of the most unusual and instantly recognisable boats in the fleet. Designed by Stephen Jones in 1973 for yachting journalist the late Jack Knights, Odd Job was one of the first boats to really exploit the IOR Rule and she is as much of a head turner today as she was in 1973.

Also back for their sixth run at the Cup are Graydon Dawson's 1984 Ed Dubois designed Diamond; the 1987 Boyd designed Murphy's Law which is now owned by Barry Pimlott, Nick Holt and Tom Williams who will be making the trip to Cowes from Blackpool and Fleetwood Yacht Club; and Ayanami, the very first production boat in the popular Bolero Class, which is owned by Roger Swinney but will be raced by her former owner Peter Dickson as Roger is racing his newly acquired Innuendo, a 1986 McIlraith design.

Seven new boats will join the revived fleet for the first time this year including Phoenix, a 1987 Rob Weguelin design, which has been bought by Gurnard sailing legends John Welch, Campbell Fleming, Jo Manser and Tim Thompson. Having only recently got their hands on the boat they will no doubt still be screwing bits onto her as they arrive!

The other new boats to look out for are Hurley Burley, a 1979 Laurent Giles designed GK24 owned by Julian Caddy; Bolero, Mike & Lisa Lewry's lovely example of the classic 1981 David Thomas Bolero Class; QT, an Ecume de Mer owned by Giles Redpath; Parisian Robert Gilles' 1981 L Cordelle designed Iota; Pinguin Playboy, aTony Castro design owned by Pierre Paris from Le Havre and Cote, the beautiful Spanish boat now owned and recently restored by Olly Ophaus and Darren Marston.

One of the best things about the revived Quarter Ton Class is the way that it attracts not only the old guard of Quarter Ton sailors who remember the boats from their heyday, but also a whole new breed of youngsters who have now discovered the joys of Quarter Ton sailing. This year we will have some great competition for the youth prize between Mark Lees and his team of 18 year old match racers from Poole sailing the 1984 Peter Gimpel designed Panic, Jim Webb's son Mike Webb sailing Flash Heart, an Ed Dubois designed Starflash, and George Kenefick and his young crew from Cork aboard the recently purchased 1989 Faroux designed ASAP.

Going head to head against the youngsters will be more than a few sailing legends. Already we know that Timmy Haines and Pete Allam will be sailing on Phoenix; Stuart Childerley, Kelvin Rawlings and Johnny Newnham will be with Peter Morton aboard Anchor Challenge; Ian Southworth and Led Pritchard will be racing Catrina Southworth's Whiskers; and Dave Lenz will be racing with Cote. Roy Dickson, at 78 years young one of New Zealand's greatest sailors, a former One Ton Cup winner and father of that handy young sailor Chris Dickson, is bringing a crew of Kiwis over to sail Ed Dubois' beautiful 1977 design Enigma.

PRO Bob Milner will preside over three days of racing in the Central Solent on a mix of windward/leeward and round the cans courses. There will be social events each evening with the highlight being the traditional Coutts Quarter Ton Cup Gala Dinner, which takes place on Tuesday evening with Roy Dickson as the guest speaker.

For further information and a full entry list for the 2010 Coutts Quarter Ton Cup please visit www.rcyc.co.uk