Annual Cowes Classics Week Proves Huge Success

The 16th Cowes Classics Week took place to great fanfare in Cowes between 7 and 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. 

On Sunday 7 July Cowes Classics Day kicked off the week - a free event at the Royal London Yacht Club on the Parade in the town. 

Owners of 60 classic car polished their pride and joy after morning rain showers, and talked to a thousand visitors. 

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 was choreographed with a WWII Motor Gun Boat powering out from the harbour created the sound of four 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 and 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 1pm.

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

Future dates have just been confirmed as 2–6 June 2025 and, provisionally, 13-17 July 2026 to align with Round the Island Race.