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11:50 Thursday 11 Aug 2016 Sue Pelling/AAMCWInternational entries on the increase

Team PYR Conviction from Barbados – photo Tom Gruitt/AAMCW

With its reputation as the largest regatta in the world, it’s not surprising that Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week acts as a magnet for thrill-seeking international teams keen to experience big fleet racing.

While Fastnet start years (every other, odd, year) tend to attract the greatest number of foreign entries, numbers are generally on the increase. This year a total of 38 boats with entries from far and wide including Barbados, Belgium, France, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Guernsey, Isle of Man, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.

One of the furthest travelled teams competing this year is PYR Conviction from Barbados. This smart, well turned out TP52 is owned by the Barbados Offshore Sailing Syndicate is led by Clint Brooks and Mark Gentlin. However, it is run by the UK-based charter company, Performance Yacht Racing that offers individuals and teams the chance to compete at top level on fast yachts in major events in the UK, Med and Caribbean.

Team PYR Conviction is currently lying a respectable fourth overall in IRC Class 0 which is rather impressive given they are a totally amateur team and it is the first time they have competed here. Chatting to Brooks before today’s race, he said: “We cherish the competition. It steps our game up too, it is such a fantastic experience just to be here at the world famous Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week. This is the first time that I am aware of that a racing yacht has come all the way from Barbados to compete.”

Commenting on the decision to compete this year, Brooks said: “We want to promote Barbados and show the rest of the world we are here, and maybe invite people to head to the Mount Gay Round Barbados Series in January.

“We actually tried hard to get here last year but it didn’t work out so we put a plan together and hooked up with Performance Yacht Racing and they were able to open doors for us and make it all happen. We have a good team made up of really keen sailors who wanted to race at a higher level, and we are improving all the time and have had some good results this week.”

Another local Bajan sailor onboard is Michael Jones (33) from Barbados, who just stepped off the Clipper Round the World Race on Visit Seattle two weekends ago. “I have been away 11 months so still trying to work it all through my head. It has all moulded together in one big mess but it was amazing with lots and ups and downs of course. I am really loving Cowes Week but I need to go home to Barbados soon to see my family.”

Although PYR Conviction was shipped over from Barbados for this regatta, Brooks and team is heading down to the Med for Les Voiles de St Tropez, and then to the Rolex Middle Sea Race in the autumn.

Brooks concluded: “We are firmly aware of what we have and we want to cherish her, so we had no intentions of sailing her across the Atlantic. We are looking forward to the next few months, although our biggest challenge will undoubtedly be the Rolex Middle Sea Race.”