The 16th Cowes Classics Week took place in Cowes on 7 – 12 July. Throughout the week the wind gods were kind to the race committee and competitors and 120 crews took part in races across The Solent over 5 days.  BODs, Dragons, Mermaids, Darings, Squibs, Sunbeams, Swallows, Victory’s, XODs and H-Boats shared the water with the larger 6 Metres, 8 Metres, Gaffers, and Spirits – a symphony of sail.

On Sunday 7th July Cowes Classics Day kicked off the week – a free event at the Royal London Yacht Club on the Parade in Cowes.  Owners of 60 classic car polished their pride and joy after morning rain showers, and talked to a thousand visitors.  Aston Martins, Jaguars, Bentleys, Morris Minors, Triumphs, and Porsches and a working replica Chitty Chitty Bang Bang filled The Parade.  Visitors took part in the People’s choice award to vote on their favourite car – the winner was a 1955 Aston Martin DB 2/4 owned by Martin Thomas.

A specially commissioned Spitfire display at 14:40 lasted over 11 minutes, choreographed with a WWII Motor Gun Boat powering out from the harbour created the unique sound of 4 Rolls Royce Merlin engines running simultaneously.

Racing began on Monday with the Weyborne Pursuit Race starting off the Green with the 96’ LOA 1916 Gentleman’s MV Lilian as committee vessel. The fickle SSE breeze and building ebb tide set the race officer several challenges but as the yachts finished well overlapped all were content. From Tuesday the race teams set 2 races a day for 14 classes using 4 separate race courses in the Central and Eastern Solent. Wednesday presented the fleets with robust conditions with wind speeds of 16 – 20 knots and some stronger gusts. A man overboard was quickly recovered by one of the many RIBs deployed in a text book exercise. Paramedics were on the dock to receive the casualty who was soon pronounced fit and well and proceeded to enjoy an early lunch of Scampi and a beer! A steady breeze greeted the fleets on Thursday and everybody made it back to the dock on Friday before a complete calm descended soon after 13:00.

Ashore competitors and friends enjoyed fantastic social events with sponsored drinks receptions every evening followed by a choice of dinners in each of the Cowes Yacht Clubs.

Sunbeams rounding the windward mark on one of the 4 courses set each day. Image: Tim Jeffreys

Participants are providing great feedback and promise to return in 2025.

“Thank you very much indeed for laying on another wonderful Cowes Classics Week. We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it.”

“We had a great time thank you very well organised, we’ll be back next year.”

”Every aspect of the event was commendable: from the classic car exhibition, to the daily sailing, the very well organized social events, the outstanding RLYC staff and volunteers, to the final and the incredibly thoughtful awards presentation.”

At the prize giving on Friday the overall winner was announced as Swallow Osprey, helmed by James Hartley.  Special mention was made of Anne Sophie a glorious 8mR that had travelled overland from Lake Starnberg near Munich, Germany and launched hours before racing began.  Her crew vowed to be back in 2025.

Full results are available on the website https://www.cowesclassicsweek.org/results

“We are extremely grateful to our sponsors Red Funnel, MDCV, Weyborne Estate, and Mermaid Gin for supporting Cowes Classic Week to provide sailing and social events for all to enjoy supported by Cowes Town Council, Cowes Harbour Commission, Classic Boat, World Leisurewear, Kendalls Fine Art, Ratsey & Lapthorne and Lallows,”  commented David Gower, chairman of CCW. “Above all over 90 wonderful and enthusiastic volunteers enable us to offer championship quality racing by day with family style social events by night.”

Dates for the next two years have just been announced:  2nd – 6th June 2025 and provisionally 13th – 7th July 2026 – add them to your diary.

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