The second day of the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week tested all sailors to the full yesterday, as the building south-westerly breeze filled the middle solent racing area. In the Dragon Class local Shipping expert Eric Williams GBR 682 showed his superb knowledge of the local conditions by making a substantial gain on the decisive second beat. With USA 310 Ted Sawyer and Graham Bailey GBR 720 electing to choose a more conservative route up the middle of the course, Williams closely followed by GBR 761 Gavia Wilkinson-Cox and first race winner GBR 767 Chris Brittain took a more bolder approach and took a long port tack towards the Calshot shore. These three boats were just able to catch the last 30 mins of the ebbing Southampton tide to take them into 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively…. A lead which neither Bailey or Sawyer could recover from..
The remaining 10 or so boats stayed more or less together in the middle of the solent as the flood tide continued to build. The great challenge with Cowes racing is to not only predict the tidal flows but to guess certain windshifts… It really is the ultimate test…
The sailors are not only challenged on the water but also ashore, with every evening offering “Black Tie” Dinners, or “Cocktail’s Parties” of the various classes .. The Music plays and the alcohol is consumed in abundence as everyone is entertained throughout these long, long days….. 🙂
Higher, Faster, Longer…….. Stavros. (USA 310).