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11:50 Tuesday 11 Aug 2015 Sue Pelling/CWLLiz Earle Ladies Day adds colour to the regatta on a windless day

Ladies Day celebrations in town – photo Rick Tomlinson/CWL

Hundreds of extra visitors who arrived in Cowes today have joined the 800 or so racing teams currently enjoying the party atmosphere around Town celebrating Liz Earle Ladies Day.

Ladies Day was introduced to Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week for the first time in 2006 with the aim to raise the profile of sailing as one of few mainstream sports where men and women compete on equal terms.

Since then it has grown in to one of the key elements of the Week. In fact, over the last decade or so, female participation across the sport has consistently grown with a third of all competitors taking part in Cowes Week are now women.

Although the main focus of Ladies Day celebrations is the presentation of the Ladies Day Trophy for outstanding contribution to, or achievement in sailing over the last year, the other key feature is the Ariel Trophy. This Trophy is awarded by Royal Southern YC to the boat with the best result with a female helmsman on Ladies Day and, as a guide of how popular Ladies Day has become, there are 84 entries this year.

Susan Glenny skipper of Sirens Tigress Reflex 38 in Class 3 IRC – from Sirens, the 75-strong all girl racing team, said she is passionate about ensuring women learn new roles on racing yachts. “It is therefore great that Cowes Week recognises women in sailing. I think what all-female sailing does is help women enhance in the roles that historically are harder to get in to such as tactician, helm, main trim, and skipper, and I think all-women sailing is giving ladies a platform to take on those roles.”

Vicky Ellis, 2013-14 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race skipper who is racing on a chartered Sunsail F40 with a large contingent of her round the world race crew says she is delighted so many more women seem to be getting involved in the sport through Ladies Day. “I think Ladies Day is a fantastic opportunity to highlight women in sport and women in sailing in particular, and I think it definitely encourages women to get out on the water and experience sailing for the first time.”

Although racing has been abandoned for all classes today due to a total lack of wind, there are still plenty of opportunities for regatta visitors get involved and make Ladies Day even more special.

Celebrations on shore continue all day with Nyetimber afternoon tea on Cowes Parade with lots of prizes on offer, and complimentary treatments from Liz Earle at their stand also on Cowes Parade. Those looking for new sailing gear or stylish après sailing attire, should head the Gill stand on Cowes Parade where ladies will receive a 10 per cent discount.

The day will conclude with the invitation-only Ladies Day reception at Northwood House at 1900 where the Ladies Day Trophy will be awarded. Round the world sailor Dee Caffari, who won the award last year, will make a short presentation before the 2015 winner is announced.

Nominees for the Ladies Day Trophy 2015 are as follows:

• Libby Greenhagh
• Annie Lush
• Gemma Osgood
• Jessica Speare-Cole
• Julia Bailey
• Lizzy Foreman
• Rachel McNamara
• Sam Davies
• Steph Bridge