News - 2014

13:46 Thursday 8 Aug 2013 Sue Pelling/CWLSailor from India embraces Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week

Rick Tomlinson/CWL

The international connection at Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week has always been strong and this year is no exception. There are 16 countries represented in the entry list including the USA, Russia, Hong Kong and United Arab Emirates but in addition to this there is a strong international crew representation.

We caught up with Ayesha Lobo (22) from Bombay, India, who says her backpacking trip round Europe took a major diversion because she not only ended up at the Firefly national championship sailing with her friend Stephen Clayton, in Torquay but also couldn’t resist the temptation of Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week.

“I wasn’t supposed to come to the UK this year, it was supposed to be next year with my mum but since I was back-packing around Europe it seemed to make perfect sense to me.

“I met Paul Heyes from Key Yachting at the J/80 worlds and was invited to come to Cowes. The only thing was, they didn’t know I was to leave on 6 August to head back home to India but as soon as I heard I definitely had a place at Cowes Week I postponed my flight.”

Lobo, who was No1 ranked match racer in India, said it was her dream to come to the UK to see what the standard of competition was really like. “The level of racing here is very high compared to a lot of the Asian countries. Most of the great sailors are from here, so I always thought if I had a chance I would jump at it. And I thought I might as well do it in style and race the week on any boat I can get my hands on.

“I am so fascinated with Cowes Week. Every time I get on the water my jaw drops because there are just so many classes. We have only 25 classes in India so there is definitely room for more.

She says she’s had a great week with lots of different sailing opportunities including the J/97 on Saturday, which won Class 6, and then on Monday on an X40. The rest of the week has been on J/70s.

Lob concluded: “After my experience this week, I want to get a team here one year, maybe the year after next.”