184th Edition of Cowes Week starts on Saturday

This Saturday the largest sailing regatta of its kind, Cowes Week, kicks off for its 184th year. This year Cowes Week welcomes a number of new classes and has made several improvements to ensure that 2010 is the best regatta yet. At the current time, entries are in great shape at 893, with more still coming in. Cowes Week is firmly on track to be another cracker!

Weather outlook

It looks like a good start to the week promising generally fine weather with light to moderate winds, and sea breezes likely as a high pressure system looks set to dominate the weather over the south of England. Towards the end of the week, there could be some particularly challenging racing with the possibility of thunder storms.

In addition to the traditional Cowes Week fleets, a number of exciting associated events will add some extra sparkle, including:

* The Extreme Sailing Series (Saturday 31 July - Thursday 5 August):  Following the initial leg in Sète, France, Cowes Week will host the second part of this exciting competition where the Extreme 40s will go head-to-head in a series of sprint racing. This year's races will take place from 3pm on the first three days and then 5pm thereafter to ensure sailors and non-sailors alike are able to watch this spectacular event while enjoying the atmosphere at the Extreme Sailing Series race village.

* The 1851 Cup (Tuesday 3 August - Friday 6 August): This trophy event is the brainchild of TEAMORIGIN, the British America's Cup sailing team who, with the support of their challenging yacht club, the Royal Thames Yacht Club, have invited the America's Cup holders, BMW ORACLE Racing, to Cowes this summer to compete in a match race tournament. Racing will take place late afternoon off Cowes on Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 and Friday 6 August. On Thursday 5 August a race clockwise around the Island will take place over the historic original course that saw the birth of the America's Cup in 1851. The competition will be an incredible event involving some of the world's greatest sailors.

* Artemis Challenge (Tuesday 3 August):  The Artemis Challenge, now in its fourth year, sees a fleet of IMOCA 60s racing around the Isle of Wight raising money for good causes.  Every year Artemis Investment Management donates a charity prize fund of £10,000 for the race, which goes to a charity of the winner's choice.  Whilst the IMOCA 60 skippers are used to racing alone or with just one co-skipper, they will be joined for the Artemis Challenge by an experienced racing crew and some special celebrity guests.

Sailing News will be bringing you regular updates on Cowes Week.