High pressure brings more great sailing
A ridge of high pressure over the English Channel brought more bright and sunny weather, with a classic south-westerly breeze, to day four of Lendy Cowes Week.
Today’s first start was for the big yachts in the Sevenstar Triple Crown fleet competing for some of event’s biggest trophies, including the historic gold Queen’s Cup.
The towering rig of Ludde Ingvall and Sir Michael Hintze’s 100ft maxi CQS, starting on the outer section of the Royal Yacht Squadron line, dwarfed those of the surrounding yachts. She tacked for the line 40 seconds before HRH The Princess Royal fired the starting cannon and quickly blasted away to a big lead on the water in the western Solent.
Today marked the end of the eight race mini series the SB20 and J/70 classes have enjoyed over the first four days of the regatta. John Pollard’s Xcellent won the SB20 Grand Slam, counting only podium results, with Elliot Noye’s Porco Rosso second and Michael Cooper’s Export Roo third.
Subject to protest, Paul Childs’ F’in Magic 2 is winner of the J/70 series, on 16 points. Ali Hall’s Sceptre was second on 24 points, just ahead of Jack Davies’ Yeti, on 24.5 points. Both classes will continue to compete, with one race per day, for the rest of the regatta.
Tomorrow’s race for the big yachts in the Sevenstar Triple Crown fleet will include all seven of the entries in the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race. Dubbed as ‘Leg Zero’ of the round the world race, this will be the first time they will have raced against each other. They will also be joined by the 100ft supermaxi CQS and by the Volvo 60 Team Jolokia.
Tomorrow a 50-mile race around the Isle of Wight is scheduled, with the course most likely to be clockwise. They will start at 0950, followed five mines later by the IRC Class 0 yachts. Rupert Holmes
Full results of all classes: www.lendycowesweek.co.uk
