Skandia Cowes Week, the World’s oldest and largest yachting regatta, and a popular fixture on the UK’s social calendar, is staging its first-ever ‘Ladies Day’ in the Event’s 180-year history. Ladies Day at Skandia Cowes Week is being held on Thursday 3 August.

More women than ever now take part in this famous regatta – around a third of the 8,000 competitors at last year’s event were female. With so many women ‘ruling the waves’, Ladies Day will add a new dimension to this already exciting event.

Alongside a host of fun activities being planned for the day, there are two key focus areas, namely a Ladies Day Trophy (planned to be an annual occurrence beyond 2006) and a Champagne reception at which this Trophy will be presented.

The Skandia Cowes Week Ladies Day Trophy will be awarded in recognition of the outstanding contribution; commitment; or achievement in sailing demonstrated by a female competitor at Skandia Cowes Week 2006. There will be five short-listed candidates selected from a simple nomination process via the Event website (www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk) from April right through to the cut-off at midday on Friday, 28 July.

Anyone wishing to make a nomination needs to provide an explanation of why the nominated person deserves to win the Ladies Day Trophy. The short-list will be drawn up by an Event Panel and all five individuals will be invited to the exclusive post-racing Champagne reception on 3 August during which (alongside the presentation of the New York Yacht Club Challenge Cup), the overall winner will be announced and will be presented with the inaugural Ladies Day Trophy.

For further information visit: www.skandiacowesweek.co.uk .