Four great classic yachts will compete in 2nd running of Westward Cup in Cowes
The Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) has confirmed the line up of participating yachts racing in the second Westward Cup regatta, taking place between the 11th and the 16th June 2012. The competing yachts are Altair, Eleonora, Mariette and Mariquita. Also invited, but as yet unconfirmed, are Lulworth and Moonbeam IV.
The Westward Cup is being run by an association of three of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world, the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS), the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) and the New York Yacht Club (NYYC). Boat International Media has again also confirmed its support of the regatta.
The organisers have set out to replicate a style, class and regatta atmosphere matching the period when Westward and the Big Class yachts all raced in Cowes, the birthplace of such elegant racing during the 1920s and 30s. The racing area will predominately be in the Solent and courses will be, where possible, set to mirror those used by Big Class yachts in those glory days.
Safety is of course, paramount and these prestigious vessels will enjoy four days of racing, adhering to the “La Belle Classe by the YCM” racing guidelines, created in close consultation with traditional yacht captains and owners and applied in all the major classic yacht gatherings to ensure safe and gentlemanly racing.
This exquisite fleet of Big Class yachts will, for most of the races, be sailing within the confines of the Solent and anyone wishing to see them will be able to watch the starts and finishes from Cowes during the Westward Cup regatta. The key vantage points will be along the Cowes Parade below the RYS battlements and along Prince’s Green to the West.
It is incredible that these huge yachts who carry a racing crew of up to 40 can take up to half an hour to put up and another half an hour to take down their sails.
Owing to the amount of room these boats need to manoeuvre, there will be strict on-water guidelines in place for all spectator and pleasure craft and there will be safety boats patrolling during the racing.
For more information on the race, visit the Royal Yacht Squadron.
Photos: Eleanora and Lulworth, racing in he Superyacht Cup Palma June 2007.