Yacht Racing at Cowes Articles
It had been a week of weather games and tactical headaches, where light-air specialists and heavy-weather bruisers both found their days to shine. And by the time the Island Sailing Club and Cowes Yacht Haven rolled out the prize-giving silverware, there were as many stories as there were trophies — each one carried home by a grinning crew and a slightly over-polished helmsman.
The Big One – Britannia Cup For pure prestige, no trophy rivals the Britannia Cup.
© Michael Hodges
Cowes Week 2025 ended in style, with trophies awarded
10-08-2025
Light airs forced hours of postponement across the board. Black Group finally got away at 1300. White Group? They sat. And sat. Not until 1415 did the Squadron cannon fire for the SB20s — a tight start and a recall for the over-eager. Sportsboats followed, with Jo Richards’ Tigger punching out first, chased by Annabel up the beat to Newtown East. Despite Tigger being dwarfed by her fleetmates, the RS21-CR held her own.
09-08-2025
Cowes Week began under a light north‑westerly breeze, with all eyes on the forecast: Storm Floris, emerging from Iceland, promised a dramatic shift in wind direction and intensity later in the day
Due to the lighter airs and anticipated changes, race officials postponed the start for two hours and shifted larger Black‑Group yachts off the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) line to a committee‑boat start off Beaulieu, while smaller keelboats and one‑design fleets, including the J/70s, SB20s, Etchells, Dragons, Flying 15s and others, were held offshore near Thorness before any gun was fired
06-08-2025
Bolney Wine Estate Joins Cowes Week 2025 as Official Sparkling Wine Partner
Cowes Week Limited (CWL), organiser of the world’s most celebrated regatta, has announced a new partnership with Bolney Wine Estate — now the Official Sparkling Wine of Cowes Week 2025. The union brings together two British institutions known for craftsmanship, character, and quiet confidence.
03-08-2025
CHERBOURG, July 2025 — The rain eased and the rum bottles emptied as dawn broke over Port Chantereyne, Cherbourg. The tension, the tides, and the spinnakers finally settled after one of the closest Admiral’s Cup battles in decades, with Peter Harrison and Monaco’s own Pierre Casiraghi leading Team Jolt to a dramatic win aboard their TP52 Jolt 3 and the Carkeek 40 Jolt 6. Ten points clear of Karl Kwok’s ever-formidable Beau Geste, the Royal Thames lads (with help from the Yacht Club de Monaco) stood tallest after a week of ferocious racing.
02-08-2025
Rolex Fastnet Race | Admiral’s Cup Dispatch – July 2025
There’s a new name at the top—and it’s flying the Dutch tricolour. The young guns aboard ROST Van Uden (RMYC) have clawed their way into the AC1 lead on corrected time, and they’ve done it with nerve, timing, and a whole lot of boat speed. With 150nm to go, they’re three hours ahead after IRC correction and showing no sign of blinking.
01-08-2025
Its started on Saturday 26 July 2025
Veterans of the last two Rolex Fastnet Races are checking the weather with cautious optimism. After two editions that opened with 30-knot headwinds and a battering Channel slog, the long-range forecast for this centenary running looks — dare we say it — gentle.
31-07-2025
After the cannon roared, the fleet scattered like gulls in a gale. Black Pearl (YCCS), skippered by Stefan Jentzch, wasted no time — tacking straight toward the mainland shore. She sniffed out a lift and took it like a thief in the night, gaining ground fast. But out near the island side, Jolt 3 (YCM) helmed by Peter Harrison, was all business — early leader on the water and staying sticky to the fleet like barnacles on a buoy.
30-07-2025
Beau Geste and Nola Strike as Light Airs Test the Best in the Solent
Soft breeze, strong tide, and no margin for error. A classic light-wind shootout, where every shift mattered and boat speed had to be earned, not expected.
26-07-2025
The 199th Cowes Week 2025, kicking off its 199th year, is set to be a jolly good time on the Solent waters near Cowes, Isle of Wight, from August 2 to August 8. Born in 1826, this grand old regatta, the longest-running sailing bash in the world, mixes fierce races with a great social vibe. Picture this: 1,000 boats, 8,000 sailors, and 100,000 happy spectators, all soaking up the fun. It’s now a summer must-do for every British sea lover !
25-07-2025
Several yacht and boat races, events, and regattas are scheduled over the next few months, based on available web information. These events span a variety of locations and formats, catering to classic yachts, modern racers, and even youth sailors. Here’s a rundown of what’s coming up through to August 2025.
25-07-2025
The 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race marks 100 years of hard offshore truth — and the multihull fleet has shown up in force. A record 20 boats are racing in the MOCRA class, all gunning for the coveted Crystal Trophy, a prize that’s older than some of the hulls — and certainly a few of the crews.
25-07-2025
The Admiral’s Cup roared to life with a deceptively light start — and then reminded everyone why it’s earned its legend. The 160nm Channel Race looked tame leaving the Solent, but by sunrise the next day, the fleet limped back soaked to the skin, eyes red and salt-blasted. A confused sea, building pressure topping 25 knots, and a foaming downwind leg back from France — it was a full-pelt Atlantic slap in the face. The final reach to the finish? A screecher, with kites straining and helms gritted.
24-07-2025
Its starts on Saturday 26 July 2025
Veterans of the last two Rolex Fastnet Races are checking the weather with cautious optimism. After two editions that opened with 30-knot headwinds and a battering Channel slog, the long-range forecast for this centenary running looks — dare we say it — gentle.
24-07-2025
They came, they foiled, they snatched it. Peter Burling’s Black Foils pulled off a slick, late-game heist in Portsmouth to steal a home win from Dylan Fletcher and the Emirates GBR crew — putting New Zealand on top of the 2025 SailGP leaderboard in the process.
23-07-2025
Revived by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) for its centenary year and to be held biennially thereafter, the 2025 edition promises high-performance racing, intense offshore challenges, and a celebration of sailing heritage.
18-07-2025
The Admiral’s Cup returns to Cowes from 17 July to 1 August 2025, reviving offshore sailing’s iconic team race. National teams will compete in inshore and offshore events, celebrating Corinthian spirit, tradition, and global competition on the Solent.
17-07-2025
Some people drift into sailing. Rachel Mcguigan charged in—eyes up, hands on, no time to waste.
When she first spoke to Leo Cantwell, skipper of Aileron, he asked her straight: “What do you want to learn?” Her answer was clear and fearless: “I want to do a helming course. I want to learn bow. I want it all. I’m not mucking about.” And she wasn’t. Leo took her seriously—and from that moment, things started moving.
13-07-2025