The Isle of Wight is all geared up for the world’s oldest and largest sailing regatta to kick off on Saturday 2nd-9th August in Cowes.

There’s nothing quite like Skandia Cowes Week,  it’s a fusion of many exciting elements, with a great mix of competitive sailing and social activities. The 8,500 competitors range from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors.  In excess of 100,000 spectators come to watch the sailing, enjoy the parties and live entertainment, and to experience the unique atmosphere.  It is genuinely a one-of-a-kind event.

Island Pulse will keep you informed of events as they unfold throughout the week click here:

Since 1826 Cowes Week has played a key part in the British sporting summer calendar and is one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events. Cowes Week as the largest of all the Isle of Wight events, with around 1,000 boats and 8,500 competitors has an exciting racing schedule and superb shore side activities, offering something for everyone and spectators can watch much of the racing from the shore.

Watch live news broadcasts online or on HD screens throughout the town click here:

One of the best locations to watch the starts ashore is undoubtedly the area between the Castle of the Royal Yacht Squadron and the cannons – as long as you don’t mind the loud bangs!  Here you can get right on the line and see who got the best start and which boats were over the line. You can also hear the race officers giving their countdowns and calling the starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron battlements.

Depending on the direction of the wind and tide, the fleets might be going east or west. If going to the east, watching early progress from Cowes Parade is ideal, while if the fleets are heading west then a position on the grass or beach along the Green is perfect, especially if you’ve got young children.

Once the start sequence is over (normally by about 12:30), much of the racing will be conducted away from the immediate vicinity of Cowes. This is a great time to explore the shore-side with plenty happening throughout the town.

This year during Skandia Cowes Week, visitors on Cowes Parade, can expect a fun for all the family event. The perfect location to soak up the atmosphere of the world’s oldest sailing regatta, will be buzzing with live music and street entertainment courtesy of the Isle of Wight Council.

A host of fantastic local acts have been booked, including Jimmy’s Big Fish, Los Fantasmus, Derek Sandy and Skybus.  Weird and wonderful street entertainment artists including The Balloonatic, Jason Maverick and a dynamic group of dancers who will be bringing a colourful carnival vibe to the Parade and elsewhere in the town throughout the regatta.

Click Here: to view a parade of entertainment on offer throughout Cowes Week.

This year visitors will once again be able to take to the water for a free sailing lesson thanks to Skandia.

Under the experienced guidance of the UKSA (United Kingdom Sailing Academy), complete novices, will have the opportunity to get out on the water in an Artemis 20ft yacht with a qualified RYA Instructor and try sailing. Each session will be run by the UKSA.  Registration is easy, just visit the Try Sailing stand on Cowes Parade and sign up for a session.

There’s nothing quite like Cowes week - the sailing is great for spectators and competitors alike as well as a fantastic line up of live entertainment day and night. And if you only come for a day, make sure it’s when the annual grand fireworks display takes place.

Conducted from a pontoon moored in the Solent off Marine Esplanade (to the west of the Royal Yacht Squadron), hundreds of vessels from pleasure steamers to small power-boats lie at anchor, whilst the shore is packed with thousands of spectators watching the fireworks light up the sea and night sky with an amazing burst of colour.  Don’t miss the spectacular fireworks display on Friday (8th) evening.

Peta Stuart-Hunt sets the scene for the start of the 182nd edition of one of the most inclusive Isle of Wight regattas in the yachting calendar.

Officially starting on Saturday 2nd August. Skandia Cowes Week - the last year the event will bear this title as Skandia is relinquishing its title sponsorship after 14 years - is hosting high-profile sailors, high-octane racing and fierce rivalry on the water. 

With the inclusion of the Volkswagen Touareg King of Cowes at Skandia Cowes Week regatta, the iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week and the Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week, the event is attracting some of the best sailing talent in the world…and then there’s the matter of over 970 yachts racing in 37 different classes with over 8,500 competitors taking to their start lines in boats ranging from 68ft down to 20.99ft!

The event, which is also justifiably proud of its shoreside entertainment programme for competitors and visitors alike (the latter numbering in the region of 100,000 over eight days) has enjoyed a fantastic partnership with its title sponsor Skandia but, as with all good things, the relationship is coming to an end after this year’s regatta.

The regatta’s CEO, Stuart Quarrie said earlier in the week, as part of an official statement:

“Looking ahead to the future of Cowes Week and life after Skandia, our ideal scenario had been to announce a new partner in advance of this year’s event.

Although discussions are progressing well, we are not in a position to make an announcement before or during the regatta. However, we do have every confidence that Cowes Week will have a new partner in place in good time for the 2009 regatta.“

Below are some of this year’s many highlights:

The Volkswagen Touareg King of Cowes at Skandia Cowes Week:

Expect some fierce rivalry as famous athletes join 30 of last year’s class winners to race Laser SB3s Television sports personality Kirsty Gallacher and former GB Olympic athletes Colin Jackson and Jonathan Edwards are competing in The Volkswagen Touareg King of Cowes @ Skandia Cowes Week regatta tomorrow, Friday 1 August.
 
The inclusion of this trio of aspiring sailors creates a unique race within a race that seeks to find the ‘champion of champions’ at Cowes. Racing starts at 11:00, subject to weather.

In year two of this highly fought on-water competition, there are superb prizes of a Volkswagen Touareg, Laser XD and Laser BUG up for grabs. On top of all this, there is a great holiday with Mark Warner to be won for the winning SB3 owner and a £500 spot prize for the ‘The Most Passionate Performance’ awarded by Nexus Marine. www.kingofcowes.com

The iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week:Coinciding with the official start of the regatta on Saturday 2nd August, the UK leg of the iShares Cup runs until Monday 4th August with a list of 11 runners and riders racing Extreme 40s and it is a series that promises to deliver some fast and furious competition.
Daily starts are scheduled for 1400 off the mainland shore near Lepe. Racing continues until 1700 and all boats are berthed in East Cowes. www.isharescup.com

The Ellen MacArthur Trust (EMT):

The official charity for Skandia Cowes Week is gearing up for its third and final year of official association with the Event. It hopes to ‘turn Cowes blue’ again and is encouraging everyone to dye their hair, fly blue flags or just wear blue clothes. Scarlet Oyster, the yacht lent to The Trust by Gordon Appleby for use during its summer trips and sailing regattas, will again be crewed by children from The Trust. Gordon sadly lost his battle with cancer in February and The Trust’s entry into Skandia Cowes Week is dedicated to his memory.
  
The EMT stand on Cowes Parade has rowing machines with the aim of visitors rowing two million metres over the course of the week and raising funds at the same time. Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare, Skandia Cowes Week’s official skincare sponsors, are continuing their support by supplying sunscreen available to purchase on lanyards, with sales proceeds going to the Charity.  The official charity day is Monday 4th August and it culminates in the Ellen MacArthur Trust Ball – an absolute ‘must attend’ event which this year is being held at Osborne House in East Cowes. The great news is that all the tickets have been snapped up! www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org

The Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week:

The Artemis Challenge at Skandia Cowes Week was introduced in order to promote the IMOCA Open 60 class in British waters - and where better to do that than at Skandia Cowes Week? Artemis Investment Management has an established business relationship with title sponsor Skandia, and is equally passionate about performance both on and off the water.

Skandia Cowes Week welcomes back The Artemis Challenge. Organised under IMOCA rules, it features some of the biggest names on the IMOCA circuit. Artemis Ocean Racing I, skippered by Jonny Malbon (pictured), will have England rugby star James Haskell on board.

The Open 60 yachts will race against each other to compete for a generous £10,000 prize fund that will be donated to the winning team’s charity of choice, with the skipper taking home the Artemis Challenge Trophy. www.artemisoceanracing.com

Liz Earle Ladies Day:

Liz Earle Ladies Day is on Thursday 7th August and it recognises and celebrates the contribution and achievements of women in sailing. The event organisers are keen that nominations for the Liz Earle Ladies Day Trophy should encompass all female sailors ranging from the Corinthian sailor and those overcoming difficulties, through to those who have undertaken remarkable challenges in sailing.

More women than ever now compete at the regatta and at least a third of the 8,500 competitors are female. To highlight the increasing involvement of the fairer sex and to celebrate sailing as one of few mainstream sports where men and women compete on equal terms, the Ladies Day Trophy is awarded as part of Liz Earle Ladies Day alongside a host of other activities and promotions.

Try Sailing:Skandia are once again running their highly popular Try Sailing initiative in conjunction with the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA). Over the past three years, hundreds of visitors have been able to take to the water for a free one-hour supervised sailing lesson thanks to this scheme.
 
Anyone over eight years old qualifies for a session, which can be booked at the Try Sailing booth on Cowes Parade.  A specially designed boat, the Artemis 20, is also available especially for disabled visitors wanting to see what it’s like to get out on the water. 

The Liz Earle ‘Close Shave Trophy’:

The inaugural Liz Earle ‘Close Shave Trophy’ has been introduced this year to be awarded annually to the overall winner across all classes who grasps victory by the closest margin.  The Liz Earle Close Shave Trophy recognises high performance, tough competition and achievement, and will be presented at the overall prize giving at the end of the week, together with a Liz Earle goodie bag for each of the crew.

Whether on shore or on water you can enjoy spectator-friendly commentary:

One of the great things about Skandia Cowes Week is that spectators can watch much of the racing from the shore. The Green (in front of the Esplanade) and The Parade are great places to view the action and there are also a number of fantastic opportunities to go afloat (details on the Event website). There are numerous entertainments laid on for visitors and the event is very family-friendly.

Tune in to Cowes Radio, providing exciting commentary on the racing as it happens. Any ordinary FM radio will pick up the signal which is broadcast on 87.7 FM and also through loudspeakers along the Green and Cowes Parade.

One of the best locations to watch the starts ashore is undoubtedly the area between the Castle of the Royal Yacht Squadron and the cannons – as long as you don’t mind the loud bangs! Here you can get right on the line and see who got the best start and which boats were over the line. You can also hear the race officers giving their countdowns and calling the starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron battlements.

Whether you’re competing or spectating at Skandia Cowes Week, you will undoubtedly look back at your time at this unique event as pretty special. Enjoy!