COWES WEEKHALFWAY through the Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week regatta, the competition in all classes is starting to hot up with patterns on the results sheet beginning to emerge.
Today (Tuesday) is Ladies Day, which celebrates the success of women in sailing and is now in its sixth year.
It is one of the key events of the week, attracting some of the most talented women sailors.
This year’s partnership with the Women’s Sport and fitness Foundation will see personalities from the across the world of sport supporting women sailors.
One of the main events is the presentation of the Ladies Day Trophy — an award, which recognises the contribution, commitment or achievement of women in sailing. The award ceremony at 5.30pm is at Shepards Wharf and the seven shortlisted nominees are Leen Ronsyn, Tina Scott, Tanya Brookfield, Pippa Hare, Liz Lotz, Fenella Lees and Heleen Wester.
Other Ladies Day events include on-the-water prizes courtesy of Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare and Piper-Heidsiec. There will also be a ten per cent discount for ladies on all Gill purchases from the Aquatogs store in the High Street and the Gill unit in Cowes Yacht Haven. There is free entry for all ladies at Club Infernos before 12.30am.
On the racecourse, it is the start of the three-day Big Boat Racing Series where some of event's biggest yachts will be battling it out, including Niklas Zennstrom’s Mini Maxi, Ran, Andres Soriano’s Mini Maxi, Alegre and the beautiful Swan 100 – Alalunga.
They were due to head off in an easterly direction from the Royal Yacht Squadron line at 10.40am, racing round the Island in a clockwise direction. Subsequent starts will be to the west, with Black Group boats remaining in the western Solent, with a running finish on the RYS line.
The Black Group committee boat will be stationed near Browndown, on the north shore of the eastern Solent.
IRC 1 is racing for The Britannia Cup and the XOD class is also starting from the Royal Yacht Squadron (inner line) for the first time this week, once the racing for all other classes is underway just before 1pm.
White Group will route to the east and finish on the Shrape line off East Cowes.
There will be less wind today — mostly ten to 15 knots, initially from the west-north-west, but swinging towards the south-west with thermal enhancement this afternoon.
The weather will be mostly fine, although a possibility of showers remains, especially in the afternoon.
There will be the Black Knights parachute display this evening at 7.30pm.
The highlight will be the landing into the water, so for a good view go to the Parade because the jump will, depending on the wind direction, take place off Trinity Landing area.