News - 2012

10:33 Thursday 16 Aug 2012 Sue Pelling/CWLZara Phillips at the start of the Artemis Challenge at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

(from left) Zara Phillips, Ian Walker, Kate Macgregor, Annie Lush, Dee Cafarri, Lucy Macgregor and Nick Dempsey.

Zara Phillips was in Cowes to see the action at the start of the Artemis Challenge at 1000 this morning.

Phillips, who has competed in this 50-mile sprint round the Isle of Wight in previous years, saw the fleet of MOD 70s and IMOCA 60s as they engaged in battle off the line and headed off in an anti-clockwise direction around the island.

A host of other Olympic guests from Team GB are also at the event including silver medallist Nick Dempsey and the women’s match Racing team of Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor. Also on the water today is TV presenter Dan Snow and global record-breaking British skippers, Dee Caffari, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, Brian Thompson, and Ian Walker.

Each MOD 70 trimaran and IMOCA 60 monohull is paired up and racing as a team, and the £12,000 prize fund charity will be split across the winning team based on cumulative elapsed time and the fastest time for the MOD70 and IMOCA 60 division.

The MOD 70s will be hoping to break Playstation’s previous multihull record for sailing around the island, which stands at 2 hours, 33 minutes and 55 seconds. The fastest monohull currently held by Leopard is 3 hours and 53 minutes and 5 seconds.

The MOD 70s are expected to arrive back across the Royal Yacht Squadron finish line at approximately 1230.