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Location Information:
Cowes
Week is the longest-running regular
regatta in the world. Having started
in 1826, the Event is held on the
Solent (the area of water between
southern England and the Isle of
Wight made tricky by strong double
tides), and is run by Cowes Week
Limited in the small town of Cowes
on the Isle of Wight.
Cowes
Week is held at the beginning of
August, set after Glorious Goodwood
in the social calendar, which in
most years means, from the first
Saturday after the last Tuesday in
July, until the following Saturday.
It is occasionally moved to another
week if the state of the tides in
the normal week is unfavourable, as
happened in 2004. The regatta is
famous for its fireworks on the
final Friday, launched from barges
in the Solent.
A
typical Cowes Week now has over
thirty-five starts a day for classes
of cruiser-racers, one designs and
keelboats; over a thousand boats and
8500 competitors take part. During
this time the Solent, which is a
busy commercial waterway, is filled
with boats of all classes and is
particularly colourful due to the
spinnakers (the large rounded sail
hoisted at the front of a yacht when
running downwind).
As
well as the sailing activities, the
week includes a large number of
onshore events including live music
and cocktail parties. From private
or commercial house parties, and
nominally private yacht clubs and
boats, through marquees erected in
the marinas serving food and drink,
through to crowds overflowing from
busy public houses and restaurants
around the narrow high street, the
water and the town become a hive of
activity into the early hours of
each morning. Around 100,000
visitors are attracted to Cowes by
the festival atmosphere of the event
each year in addition to all the
competitors.
Local
Weather:
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