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Champagne Sailing – Racing News – End of Cowes Week 2024
Sunshine, smiles and spinnakers were all in abundance last week on the Isle of Wight. What a fantastic Cowes Week Regatta – there were a few days with light winds but, other than that, it really was champagne sailing. As well as fantastic racing out on the water, there were plenty of shoreside activities for spectators to enjoy.
Tuesday 30 July, day four of the regatta, celebrates the contribution and achievement of women in sailing, recognising some of the major successes of women in the sport. Sadly, the winds were so light that racing had to be abandoned, however, all was not lost as later that evening saw the arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth, a spectacular sight in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron. The 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier held off Cowes and at around 6.30pm exchanged gun salutes with the RYS. The Commodore of the Squadron stood just off the platform and the ship’s crew lined the flight deck. Cowes was buzzing with excitement and, following the gun salutes, hats where raised to ‘cheer the ship.’
Cowes Week prize giving took place on Friday evening. The regatta village was filled with cheers as racers stepped onto the podium to receive their trophies. The RSYC Queen’s cup stood out in all its glory on the trophy table as one of the most prestigious awards of the night. ‘Katabatic’ – the winners of IRC 1 and the Queen’s Cup – managed to race down from an event at the Royal Yacht Squadron and jump onto the stage in time to receive the cup. Applause rang out and the younger children were wide-eyed as they caught sight of the glistening gold trophy. Bob Trimble, chairman of Cowes Week Ltd, presented the cup. Not only was it wonderful to see the team on stage, it was doubly rewarding to see the trophy being presented to members of the RSYC. Congratulation to Lance Adams and his team.
Also on stage were the winning team from ‘Ecstatic’, part of the Dragon fleet – owned and sailed by another one of our favourite RSYC members, Eric Williams. What a wonderful week for ‘Ecstatic’ and her crew which saw Eric claim his 17th Cowes Week win – an extraordinary achievement. Congratulations go to Eric, Katie Cole and Andrew Norden – 2024 Cowes Week Dragon fleet Winners! We love seeing our members out on the water and, incredibly, Eric has competed in 65 Cowes weeks and only missed two regattas – one due to Covid and one due to the Dragon Worlds about 30 years ago.
RSYC Member Eric-williams-secures-unprecedented-17th-cowes-week-victory
Dragon Class – Start Day 1 Ecstatic Sail 682
For those of you who were over in Cowes, you may have seen our regular racers out on the start lines.’ Woof’ did exceptionally well, skippered by Jo Richards. Graham Deegan won in his Flying Fifteen, ‘Akarana’. ‘Mimi’, skippered by Philip Williams was competing in IRC7 together with ‘Suvretta’, owned by Chris Preston, who won the class. Other familiar boats include ‘Mostly Harmless’, ‘Antidote’, ‘NJOS’, ‘Cool Runnings’ and ‘Jybe Talking’. Our lovely RSYC Member, Mark Watkin, was also competing in ‘Spirt of Kudu’ IRC6.
The RSYC sponsored the racing on the first day of Cowes Week Regatta, awarding the trophies for the day’s events. Our annual prize giving will be held on Saturday 23 November at Gins Clubhouse. We are delighted to have already received confirmation that ‘Dusty P’, ‘Après Le Vent’, ‘Dauntless’ and ‘Belladonna’ are all looking forward to joining us.
For all the highlights from Cowes Week Racing, please follow the link below:
We received wonderfully positive feedback from the Royal Yacht Squadron Platform with regard to our talented Race Management Team who were helping to run the first four days of Cowes Week racing – what an honour. A huge thank you to: Mike Garvey, Dave Martin, Ginny Bennett, Linda Sign, Angela Parry, Kathy Smalley, Julia Smith, Brendon Shannon, James Maltby and Simon Pickess, for delivering exciting professional racing out on the water. It is lovely that our club has such an exceptional reputation during Cowes week, an event that has a long-standing history with the RSYC. We look forward to 2025.
Exciting Racing News – Cowes Week 2024
What a fabulous start to Cowes Week this weekend. The RSYC are delighted and honoured to be this year’s sponsors for Saturday’s racing at Cowes Regatta. We will be providing the trophies for the class winners competing on 27 July 2024. Our prestigious trophy the Queens’s Cup was proudly on display at the Royal Yacht Squadron platform for day one of Cowes racing. This cup will be presented to the winner of IRC1 – ‘Katabatic’ skippered by Lance Adams. Congratulations to Lance and his team – a fantastic result.
The RSYC Race Management Team have the privilege of being part of the Cowes Week Race Management Team. We have two crewed RIBs doing a brilliant job of mark laying. Yacht ‘Sabrina’ owned by David Martin is out for four days as a Race Committee boat and Mike Garvey is Course Race Officer on the RYS committee boat. They have had an amazing two days so far – all very exciting out on the water. A huge thank you to the RSYC team supporting Cowes Week.
You can follow all the Cowes week action this week by either installing the Cowes Week app or signing into the Cowes Week website.
If you would like to see pictures of the action at Cowes please go to the racing page – scroll down to “Racing Photo Galleries” and click on “2024 Photos”
For more from the Cowes Week website:
Day 1 briefing video featuring the prestigious RSYC Queen’s Cup
Member Discounts:
SWAC RYA Training
The Southampton Water Activities Centre (SWAC) are offering a 10% discount to all RSYC members on RYA training courses and kids summer holiday activities throughout 2023.
Click here for more information or phone them on 07747 037059.
Port Chantereyne – Cherbourg
Port Chantereyne offer 20% discount on visitor berthing.
Update – Partnership with RSrnYC
Mutually Beneficial Partnership with the Royal Southern Yacht Club
The RSYC is delighted to be able to announce that we have taken the first steps in developing our partnership with the Royal Southern Yacht Club (RSrnYC), with agreements relating to our cruising and racing programmes and social events. This will bring direct benefits to the members of both our clubs. If you would like to take advantage of these benefits, we have set up an online form for you to register your interest so that you can be given access and kept informed.
Members area of our website: https://www.rsyc.org.uk/login/
RSYC Racing – Royal Southern Yacht Club – Discounts
We have agreed to give members access to each other’s racing programmes on favourable terms. You will be able to enter RSrnYC members-only races, and their open events at RSrnYC members’ rates. For open events this means typically around a 20% discount. The RSrnYC runs a full competitive racing programme which is complimentary to ours. Our races add double-handed, winter, mid-week, and Southampton Water racing to the mix. More details of the RSrnYC racing programme can be found at https://www.royal-southern.co.uk/racing/ We have also agreed to cooperate on race management with both our teams and equipment. This will make our teams more resilient and provide broader opportunities to our race management team members for participation and training. Our Sailing Secretary, Lisa Topley, is working with their Sailing Manager, James Ripley-Giles, to coordinate our racing activities.
Member Discounts:
SWAC RYA Training
The Southampton Water Activities Centre (SWAC) are offering a 10% discount to all RSYC members on RYA training courses and kids summer holiday activities throughout 2023.
Click here for more information or phone them on 07747 037059.
Port Chantereyne – Cherbourg
Port Chantereyne offer 20% discount on visitor berthing.
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Latest News
- 2023 Ocean Globe Race – Departs Southampton – 10 September 2023
- RSYC Trust Newsletter – June 2023
- Great racing footage from the RSYC Island Double 26 August ‘Fizz’ – fabulous day out on the water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFfmum49oxQ
From our Members
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Recent Events
RSYC AGM Saturday 10 March 2024
It was wonderful to see so many members attending the AGM at Gins Clubhouse.
It’s always nice to support the Club and to have the opportunity to make your vote count.
We had a lot of raised hands and claps of appreciation as we welcomed new committee members into their new posts.
Robin Funnell – Commodore for the last two years – welcomed Guy Darby as the new Commodore with a handshake, presenting him with the Commodore’s Pennant and a gold Commodore’s pin. We wish all our newly appointed members every success in their new roles and look forward to a prosperous 2024 for the Royal Southampton Yacht Club.
Our congratulations go to Ginny Bennett, who won RMT Volunteer of the year for outstanding work with the RSYC Race Management Team and Tina Daniel and Virgina Boyle who jointly won the Stephen Parry Trophy for dedication and support to the Club over the past two years.
Please show your support for the Club by visiting Gins as often as you can – we are really looking forward to welcoming you this season.
RSYC Volunteers Lunch – Saturday 02 March 2024
What a fabulous day at Gins as our wonderful volunteers enjoyed a delicious lunch by way of saying “thank you” for the hours they have given up in support of our Club. Without these wonderful people, many of the Club’s activities would not be possible. It was a great way to get together and thank them all for their hard work. If you want to get involved this year, please do get in touch – we would be delighted to hear from you.
Next year, we could be thanking you too.
Email membership@rsyc.org.uk or sailing@rsyc.org.uk.
Don’t be shy, it’s a great way to make new friends and be part of a team. We have plenty of roles ranging from making tea and helping children with crabbing lines to running racing out on the Solent. Get involved with your Club and make a difference.
RSYC Racing – Ocean Globe Race 2023 – Sunday 10 September
What a fabulous sight – 14 boats left Ocean Village, for the Royal Yacht Squadron, crossing the start line to compete in the 2023 Ocean Globe Race. The RSYC race committee boat, The Hound, followed the yachts out of the marina, in support of ‘Maiden’, the British entry in this exciting event. The boats will be following the same route as the clipper ships and the inaugural 1973 Whitbred Round the World Race, in similar affordable yachts. If you know your history, you will know that ‘Maiden’ was skippered by Tracy Edwards, with an all female crew, in 1989/90. This Sunday ‘Maiden’ returned to the start line with a team of 12 young women from different countries, cultures and backgrounds. We can’t wait to follow her progress. You can follow the race: youtube.com/oceangloberace facebook.com/oceanglobe race instagram.com/oceangloberace
Cricket – Bramble Bank – Sunrise Saturday 02 September 2023
As the tide goes out, the game begins. What a fabulous, fun, event. A game of cricket on the Bramble Bank, not the player’s usual lush green bowling pitch. The first match is said to have been played in the 1950s at the request of pioneering British boat maker Uffa Fox. The RSYC Rib took a trip out to support this event, along with other local yacht clubs.
Island Double 2023
Watching the weather forecasts leading up to the event usually gives rise to some apprehension. Will there be sufficient breeze but not too much? The direction is secondary but we really don’t want to revert to the Plan B course in the Solent because of too much or not enough.
The early sky was a kaleidoscope of cloud formations, layers and colours, being about 6 octas with patches of blue. An increasing westerly breeze was likely but with the prospect of heavy showers.
Starting off Cowes, we had a very light southerly drifting out of the Medina. Good fortune was with us and we were able to get the three classes away without mishap or delay. The Class 2 start was particularly close given the zephyrs and ebbing tide.
We then repaired to The Duke of York – as is our custom – for the much needed Full English! We were then able to follow the fleet on AIS and were excited to see the leaders were achieving 8-10 knots across Freshwater Bay – we had a race !
Back out on station at the Royal London YC buoy from 1330 we were ready to welcome back the early finishers. After six and a half hours of racing, Xinska made a fine sight as she took line honours again. The fleet all duly arrived in an orderly manner and were all done by 1713hrs.
We all felt rewarded for our efforts and somewhat gleeful at missing the various deluges happening all around us! The team thank all the competitors for what turned out to be a super sailing day. My gratitude goes to The Girls – Ginny, Jan, Julia and Sue who kept me in order (and amused) for a grand day out!
Neil Cox – Race Officer
Cowes Week 2023
A real mixed bag of weather was experienced during the annual Cowes Week Regatta for 2023. RSYC members and race management team enjoyed taking part in this, by far the biggest Solent regatta of the year.
The large race management team contributed to running 4 days of the 7 day long racing schedule. Chief Race Officer, Mike Garvey, and his team were on the Hound and Dave Martin and his team were pin-end boat called Sabrina, which was again graciously supplied by Dave this year. We had two RIBs laying the windward-leeward courses each day; one borrowed from the Royal Southern.
Day 1, saw the team start the racing for Etchells, Dragons, Darings, J70s and SB20s. On subsequent days, the team managed racing for J70s and SB20s. The competitive fleets made for some impressive starts after general recalls for the first race each day.
Based on the Hill Head plateau, the south westerly winds were over 20 knots each day, making committee vessel and pin end tasks quite a physical challenge, but the whole team showed great resilience. The J70 and SB20 competitors were grateful to RSYC for hosting the racing. Thanks were also received from the Cowes Week regatta director.
Regatta 2023
In June we held the RSYC Regatta. As well as a series of Yacht Races organised by Guy and Zoë Darby, won by Sailfish, a host of activities on and off the water at Gins Clubhouse were enthusiastically enjoyed by everyone!
Led by the Flag Officers, our Sailing Secretary Lisa and Ginny, members of all ages and their guest enjoyed tender, paddleboard, and kayak racing with James Maltby kindly providing support boat cover. Ashore there was a crabbing contest, find the Pirate Treasure Hunt, Guess the number of sea creatures, Giant Jenga, Swing Ball, Boules, Quoits, Pirate Skittles and Knot Tying. When the racers returned an impromptu tug of war was organised by Rear Commodore Sailing, Bill Roper, with many of the crews joining in.
We had fantastic weather and a delicious barbeque followed by Paella in the evening accompanied by live music. The Regatta finished on Sunday with a Duck Race which raised £250 for the RSYC Trust.
Beaulieu and Summer Series Racing
