News - 2013

09:28 Monday 5 Aug 2013 Sue Pelling/CWLCompetitors prepare for wind and rain on Day 3 of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

Rick Tomlinson/CWL

As dawn broke this morning there was a noticeable change of conditions from the previous two days at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.

The temperature had dropped and cloud cover over The Solent, the key feature with rain in the air. The wind is threatening to increase later in the day too, which means competitors are in for an exciting day’s sailing.

The current situation shows low pressure moving north east up the Irish Sea and into Wales taking the worst of the heavy rain and strong winds with it, which mean competitors at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week could escape with only light rain as the weakening front passes over during the morning.

The southerly winds will increase and back a little towards the south-south-east immediately ahead of the rain and thick cloud, before veering south-west. Wind speeds will generally be 10-14 knot from the south this morning, before freshening to 12-18 knots from the south-west this afternoon.

There is risk, however of some gusts of over 20kts.

Stuart Quarrie, CEO Cowes Week Limited, chatting about today's conditions said: “We’re expecting maximum gusts of 25 knots, with the front coming through quite late, and are hoping to get a lot of the racing finished before then, although it’s still likely to give testing conditions for some of the smaller boats.”  

Starts:

White Group dayboats will start on the Royal Yacht Squadron line and head east to race in the shelter of the Island in the eastern Solent.

The White Group committee boat for XODs and the second race for J/70s and SB20s will be on the Ryde Middle Bank.

Black Group yachts on the Bramble line will start to the west, with the smaller yachts then racing on the Knoll Bank.

The Black Group committee boat will be close to Craftinsure.com – near the shore at Beaulieu – to maximise the length of windward legs, which is always a challenge in southerly winds. All Black Group boats will finish on RYS line from the east.