Although somewhat grey and dank conditions prevailed for much of Day 3 of the 2011 Panerai British Classic Week in Cowes, the fleet of vintage and classic sailing yachts were able to successfully complete Race 2 of the regatta in winds which eventually ranged from 6 – 12 knots. With the earlier morning breeze evaporating at just about exactly the scheduled start time, a wait of a couple of hours out on the water was necessary before Race Officer Tony Lovell was able to take advantage of an afternoon Solent sea breeze to get racing underway.
Despite the unseasonal weather, which at times comprised rain, mist, torrential rain and only occasional short lived spells of sunshine, nevertheless returning to the dock after racing most of the competitors appeared to have enjoyed their day of classic yachting. Some had fared worse than others however; in an unfortunate incident, seemingly caused by a period of poor visibility, a port and starboard collision between the Class 3 yacht ‘Maybird’ and the leading Class 4 yacht ‘Caritana’ saw ‘Caritana’ dismasted. Although boat boats retired, happily there were no reported injuries.
2011 Panerai British Classic Week Lighter Conditions For Day 3 © Mark Lloyd www.lloyd-images.com
With the third day of the regatta designated as Ladies’ Day, ranging across Classes 2 – 4, no less than 16 lady helmsman took up the challenge to skipper their respective boats during racing. In Class 4, Fiona Davies aboard ‘Mitten’ was the first lady helm on corrected time, finishing in seventh place in the overall Class 4 fleet. In the 20 boat Class 3 fleet, Alice Bellamy was the first lady, steering ‘St David’s Light’ to a fifth in class finish. Meanwhile, in Class 2, first lady helm Angela Matheson brought ‘Opposition’ home in fourth place in the 10 boat fleet, and was also awarded the overall Ladies’ Day prize.
The match racing between the two 12 Metres at the front of the Class 1 fleet continued unabated, with R A Rankin’s 1985 ‘Italia’ evening the series score with a win over Richard Matthew’s 1985 ‘Crusader’. Stephen Jones, helming his own self-designed Spirit of Tradition ‘Meteor’, took third place.
In Class 2, a close race-long battle between the Earl of Cork and Orerry and David Glasgow’s 1939 International 8 Metre ‘Athena’ and David Murrin’s Laurent Giles 1957 sloop ‘Cetawayo’, finally went in favour of ‘Athena’ by just 20 seconds on the water and an even narrower margin of 11 seconds on corrected time. Taking third was Richard Bond’s 1938, Olin Stephens designed, ‘Tomahawk’.
In Class 3, Sir Michael Briggs aboard his 1904 William Fife ‘Mikado’ claimed his second race win of the regatta beating France’s Yvon Nicolas’s 1963 Illingworth Bermudan Cutter ‘Mirella’ by 28 seconds on corrected time. Coming home in third on the day was Andy King’s 1929 Ramussen designed, International 30 ‘Gluckauf’.
First across the line on the water in Class 4 was David Myatt’s 1948 Bjarne Aas designed Bermudan sloop, ‘Marguerite’, who also secured a corrected time victory over Robert Veale’s 1958 built ‘Danegeld’ in second. Finishing in third place was the 1938 ‘Cereste’ owned by Jonathan & Scilla Dyke.
Panerai British Classic Week in Cowes © Mark Lloyd www.lloyd-images.com
The Six Metre Class managed to complete their first race of the regatta, with Avea Willment’s 1986 ‘Blade Runner’ taking a comprehensive line honours and corrected time win, ahead of second placed Robin Richardson on the 1987 ‘St. Kitts’. Tom Richardson’s 1990 ‘Georgia’ took third place.
After a wet day on the water for all concerned, the luxurious Panerai hosted hospitality facilities were a welcoming refuge for the sailors to debrief the day over a warming coffee. For those requiring something stronger, the nearby beer tent with excellent live music fitted the bill perfectly.
View a list of luxury classic sailing yachts available for yacht charters here.
