Boats compete at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week 2012, Isle of Wight.
THE all girl crew aboard the Quarter Tonner Espada were celebrating their first bullet of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week this afternoon (Sunday).
The team, led by well-known Isle of Wight skipper Louise Morton, of Cowes, bettered their second place of yesterday to win by more than two minutes today.
Isle of Wight successes mounted across the White Group fleets with Audax (Roger Marwood and Mike Bilbo) finishing top in the Darings, and Gavia Wilkinson-Cox’s Jerboa coming second in the Dragons behind Hampshire’s Eric Williams on Ecstatic.
Andrew Millband’s and Tony Hastings’ Fifty Fifty went one better today finishing second in the Flying 15s, while Colin Simonds’ Doolalli came second in the SB20s behind Jerry Hill’s Sportsboatworld.com.
Today's Sonar race saw Simon Barter’s Bertie get the better of yesterday’s winner, Cowes skipper Andy Cassell, who finished second.
Over in the Squibs, Fred Warren Smith, who sails at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club at Fishbourne, posted a third to bolster his campaign for a third successive 2012 Young Skipper’s Trophy. He currently lies in second place.
In the black group, the 2010 winner of IRC 1, Antilope (Willem Wester), posted its first win of the week, while another local boat, David Franks’ Strait Dealer, won IRC Class 4 after three-and-a-half hours’ racing.
Cowes sailor Adam Gosling came third on Yes! in IRC Class 5 while Jo Richards’ Woof topped IRC Class 7, with Paul Dunstan’s Mandarin second.
Eldred Himsworth’s Drumbeat won today’s Contessa 32 race while Jamie Sheldon’s Jigsaw finished second in the J/109s, ahead of another local boat, Jolene II (Christopher Sharples and Richard Ackland).
Today has been Family Day at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week and one family competing are the Garnetts who learned to sail at Seaview.
William Garnett said his family were so keen to ensure they took part this year, they made special plans to get their boat from the Mediterranean to Cowes in time for the regatta.
Sailing with eight members of the family including wife Susannah, and two children Tobias, 25, and Amelia, 22, his brother, son-in-law and his nephew, William admits the potential for tricky moments on board.
"Because we all know racing with families can be tense, we have our friend Geoff Chapman as our crew boss. He is refereeing the family issue."