News - 2017

12:00 Tuesday 31 Jan 2017 Mary Scott-JacksonTriple Crown Big Boat Event Announced For Cowes Week 2017

Cowes Week Ltd, organisers of the world's best-known sailing regatta, are excited to announce the introduction of a new big boat race series, the Cowes Week Triple Crown.

The new Cowes Week Triple Crown will be a regatta within a regatta : open to large IRC rated racing boats of at least 20m LOA with a minimum TCC of 1.500 and up to 36m LOA.  A series of three races will take place on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of Cowes Week, with the final race being an Around the Island Race, giving participating boats the opportunity to mount record-breaking circumnavigation attempts.  With a potentially wide range of boats expected to enter, from out-and-out racing boats to cruiser-racers, three classes will compete for the Triple Crown: Maxi-Racer Class; Cruiser-Racer Class and an Ocean-Racer Class.

Three of the sailing world’s most historic and prestigious trophies will be awarded to the three classes:  The Queen’s Cup, presented to the Royal Southampton Yacht Club by Queen Victoria in 1897; The King George V International Cup (also known as the White Heather Cup) from the Royal Thames Yacht Club, a huge flagon that was awarded for the 23 metre class in 1911 and won by White Heather II and the Royal Yacht Squadron’s King’s Cup 1920 which was presented by King George V in 1920 for a  race for yachts exceeding 100 tons.  The overall winner of the three races will be presented with the Triple Crown trophy. Further details of this will be announced shortly.

Kate Johnson, Commercial & Marketing Director for CWL said,

“With the Triple Crown series we are hoping to create a must-do event to attract high-profile big boat entries to Cowes Week. It is expected that this mini-series will stimulate the interest of TV, media, and sailing fans around the world, providing an exhilarating and exciting addition to the great spectacle that is Cowes Week.”

The inaugural Triple Crown event happily coincides with the Fastnet this year, and with the 100ft limit being relaxed on monohulls for the Rolex Fastnet Race, it is anticipated that many big boat owners will look to participate in both events.  With separate classes to differentiate the faster racing boats, and starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron line, the yachts racing in the Triple Crown will provide a fantastic sight for spectators ashore and afloat.

Commenting on the announcement, CWL Regatta Director Phil Hagen said,

“Cowes has a long history of hosting prestigious yacht races, and with an increasing number of large racing yachts competing for the world’s top prizes, we felt it was the right time to incorporate them into Cowes Week. The starts will be a magnificent sight as they launch the day’s racing from Tuesday to Thursday.”

More information and details of how to enter are available here.