8,500 competitors range from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors.
In excess of 100,000 spectators come to watch the sailing, enjoy the parties and live entertainment, and to experience the unique atmosphere.
Cowes Week is one of the most famous sailing events in the world.
Although the regatta began in 1826, it is only in recent times that the Week has become an integrated series of races organised by a single body. During the post-war era, each day of racing was run by a different Cowes or Solent mainland club. Every club printed their own sailing instructions and ran their own programme for the day. By 1964 however, the clubs had realised that there were significant benefits in having one central body to coordinate the racing. They agreed to combine resources and establish Cowes Combined Clubs (CCC) to run the racing as a single organisation. CCC has 9 members: 8 yacht clubs and the Cowes Town Regatta committee. On each day of the regatta, one or two clubs present their own trophies. CCC members work as a team to organise and provide the race management for the week.”
Inclusive film concentrating on younger participants 1967:
Here are some tips for racing: http://classicsailor.com/2016/07/cowes-week-advice/
History of Cowes Week: HERE