2013 年度沛纳海英国古典周顺利开幕

For Sam Laidlaw and Rob Gray’s Sparkman and Stephens designed Clarionet, today’s delay was rather welcome as the boat only went back into the water after a major refit this week and there are still plenty of small jobs to finish. Built by Clare Lallow’s yard in Cowes, Clarionet is one of the most successful racing yachts of all time. In her opening season of 1966 she won or came second in almost every race she took part in, including winning Cowes Week and the RORC St Malo Race overall. But she was more than a one-season wonder, going on to win hundreds more races in her 47 year career including the 1987 RORC Channel Race, where she beat off the entire 42 strong Admiral’s Cup fleet and her class in the 2001 Fastnet. Even at 43 years young she still finished 3rd in class in the 2009 Fastnet racing against some of the hottest modern race boats of the day! After her refit at David Heritage’s Cowes yard she is looking as stunning as ever and everyone will be watching eagerly to see if she also retains her winning ways.

Just getting to Cowes has been a major achievement for some of the competitors including Simon Field’s Swanilda, a 1960 Nicholson bermudan sloop built by The Berthon Boat Company, and James Kelman’s Croix des Gardes, a 1947 Henri Dervin bermudan cutter built by Bonnin Arcachon, both of which sailed across the Atlantic to be here. Croix des Gardes left the 2012 edition of Panerai British Classic Week heading for the Panerai Transat Classique. At the end of that race she cruised through the Caribbean and up the east coast of the United States, before sailing back across the Atlantic just in time for this year’s event. As if that wasn’t an impressive enough achievement in its own right Croix des Gardes’ crew for the entire trip included James’s children Elizabeth, six, and Matthew, eight, both of whom were rather disappointed not to be able to race today.

Tomorrow’s forecast looks more promising with 10+ knots from the north-east and hot sunshine, which bodes well for EFG International Race Day which will feature one race starting at noon. The regatta continues until Saturday 13th July with racing every day until Friday and a Parade of Sail past the Royal Yacht Squadron on Saturday.