Extreme 40s racing in the iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week. Picture courtesy of Lloyd Images.
VIDEO FOOTAGE
PERFECT sailing conditions on the third day of Skandia Cowes Week propelled the fleets round their courses at breakneck speed.
In the exciting battle between the front runners of IRC Class Zero, Niklas Zennstrom posted his third win of the week in Ran, with Carphone Warehouse boss Charles Dunstone’s Rio finishing just 27 seconds behind.
"I think we got lucky," said Dunstone, who is driving the boat himself.
"The guys on Ran sail the boat very well. Yesterday we trawled our kite and the day before we got something round the rudder, but today we were luckier.
"We will be doing our best to win this week. We are good in the wind and the forecast is for more wind but it is still a big hill to climb."
Island successes included M. Greville, who second place in Erivale III in Class 2 IRC behind Rudi Floridor’s Allard in Class 2 IRC, while Peter Morton’s Salvo topped Class 4 IRC.
Elsewhere, top Dragon sailor, Gavia Wilkinson-Cox, won her class in Jerboa while last year’s White Group winner, Graham Bailey, posted his second victory in the Etchells in Arbitrator.
Gavin Tappenden and his crew in Fflux, built locally at Composite Crafts in Cowes, secured third in the Flying 15s; a class being dominated by Rupert and John Mander in Men Behaving Badly.
Top local team of Paul Bowen, Duncan Bates and Shaun Kellet celebrated victory in the Sonar class in Repost, while Glyn Locke, from Freshwater, won the Sportsboat class in Fer de Lance and Graham and Hubert Smyth’s Lee Deck topped the Squibs.
• After an exciting final-day tussle yesterday (Monday) ovrerall honours in UK leg of the iShares Cup went to Alinghi.
Weather conditions had been mixed through the competition.
"We're thrilled," said skipper Ed Baird. "These kind of conditions were a bit beyond what we've experienced before so we've been learning in every race trying to figure it out. It was pretty hairy!”
• Special Skandia Cowes Week coverage in the Friday, August 8, County Press.
Skandia Cowes Week 2008, Monday's sailing.
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