The British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta 2010 ran from Sunday 18th July to Saturday 24th July and attracted an overall entry of fifty-nine boats. This unique event, which is now in its ninth year, brings together some of the most beautiful vintage sailing craft and their crews for a full week of racing and socialising in Cowes, the spiritual home of classic yachting. This year the regatta’s profile was further boosted by its inclusion as part of the 2010 Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge Series. Sponsored by Italian watch manufacturer Panerai since 2005, this high profile series features many of the leading classic yacht regattas, including the Antigua Classic Yacht Regatta and the Régates Royale, Cannes.
The 2010 British Panerai Regatta - © Lloyd Images
Competitors in Cowes were treated to spectacular conditions for the entire event, with warm winds and clear blue skies creating an atmosphere perhaps more redolent of the Mediterranean than the Solent. As ever, the regatta fleet was packed with beautiful examples of classic racing yachts of all sizes, several of which had been built as long ago as the 1800’s and many of which had been subject to extensive and painstaking restorations. Racing was characteristically competitive, producing a variety of race winners in all four classes, with the overall points winners of each class only decided at the end of the final day’s racing.
At the conclusion of what everyone agreed had been a superlative regatta, the fleet gathered at the Royal Yacht Squadron on the final night for the prizegiving dinner. In the overall series standings, the Spirit Trophy for first place in Class 1 went to the Sprit 54 Sloop, Soufriere. First in Class 2 and receiving the Lutine Cup was the 1957 Sloop, Cetewayo, who was also received the Moonbeam Trophy for overall victory in the long distance race. Overall winner of Class 3 was the 1904 Clyde 30 Linear, Mikado, who received the Corinthian Cup. Winner of the Class 4 series was the 1897 Cork Harbour One-Design Gaff Cutter, Jap, who received the Commodores’ Cup. In addition to the individual trophies, the class winners were delighted to also receive a beautiful Panerai Instrument.
2010 British Panerai Regatta - © Mark Lloyd Images
The 1985 12 Metre, Italia, received the Sea Dragon Island Trophy for taking overall line honours in Wednesday’s long distance race. The Lallow Cup for best-presented new entrant went to the 1898 Gaff Cutter, Kismet. The International Metre Trophy for the highest placed Metre Boat, was awarded to the 1937 12 Metre, Wings. The Brian Keelan Memorial Trophy for the highest placed Gaffer went to Jap. The Universal 8 Cup for the highest placed 8 Metre was won by If. As voted for by the competitors, the overall regatta Je Ne Sais Quoi competition winner was the 1911 built 19 Metre Gaff-Cutter, Mariquita.
The British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta 2010 overall first prize went to Cetewayo. As overall winner of both the long distance race and the overall regatta Cetewayo’s owner, British Classic Yacht Club Commodore David Murrin, was presented with two Radiomir Regatta 1/8th Second Titanio – 47mm watches, designed by Officine Panerai for the Panerai Classic Yachts Challenge 2010. In a well-received gesture of generosity, David immediately announced that he would be donating one of the watches to his favourite charity, the Special Boat Service.
The following day, to mark the official close the 2010 British Classic Yacht Club Panerai Cowes Regatta 2010, the fleet took part in a well choreographed water borne parade, much to the delight of the many spectators who thronged the shoreline for a final glimpse of the classic yachts for this year.
