The Skandia Life Young Skipper’s Trophy is for all skippers aged under 25 on 7 August and it is judged against the best results scored between the Saturday and Wednesday of Cowes Week. The expected presentation was Wednesday evening, but this year’s would-be winner, Christian Hamilton, was disqualified from that day’s race after one of the crew on his Sonar, Geronimo, was seen hiking out in contravention of the class rules.

That little bit of over-enthusiasm put the Sonata Cobweb, skippered by Matt Glasgow, into the lead.

Matt, aged 23, is participating in his fifth Skandia Life Cowes Week. Hailing from Saffron Walden in Essex, he and his regular crew take part in all the main Sonata events, including the southerns, in which they came second, and the nationals, in which they didn’t have such a good time. “It was a windy event and we don’t fare so well when it’s blowing hard,” Matt explained.

Matt is clearly delighted with the result, not having won anything at Cowes before. “We didn’t think we were going to do as well as we have, so it came as quite a surprise when I was told of my win.”

Given that he and his crew prefer lighter winds, the fact that the Skandia Young Skipper’s Trophy was judged universally on days with light airs has been a stroke of luck. “The weather gods have been on our side,” Matt acknowledges.

The stronger wind today may spell an end to Cobweb’s success but this is apparently of little consequence to Matt. “After last night’s celebrations,” he said in a way we knew what was coming next, it’s debateable if we’re even going to make it to the start line!”