The Cowes-Torquay-Cowes Powerboat Race, organised by the British Powerboat Racing Club, is in its 55th year and is still the longest-running offshore powerboat race in the world.
This year’s fleet will assemble at the Cowes Yacht Haven on Saturday 5th September for scrutineering, and the public are welcome to watch adjacent to the North Basin, as the crews complete their last-minute preparations.
Activity will commence at approximately 08:45 on Sunday 6th September when the racing fleet will parade along Cowes Green to Egypt Point before mustering to the east of Cowes Harbour entrance. Some 15 Race boats will then pass in a convoy, at speed, between Snowden and Trinity House buoys before starting the actual race immediately in a line to the north of the Royal Yacht Squadron at 09:30.
A second start will also be on the Royal Yacht Squadron Line , when some 16 boats compete in the Cowes-Poole-Cowes race , the quickest of which will return to Cowes in under one hour.
The Cowes Torquay Race boats are expected to return on a reciprocal course through the Western Solent between 15:00 and 17:30 in the afternoon, finishing north of Gurnard cardinal buoy (Egypt Point).
There are already 31 Entries confirmed for this years Cowes Classic, teams and drivers have come from the all corners of the World to participate, not only a strong contingent from the UK , but also Germany, Belgium, Italy, Norway, Australia , USA and Latvia.
Spectators can follow the race via a minute by minute race tracker of the Cowes Torquay Race on their smart phone by downloading the Yellow Brick app ‘YB Races’ at your app store or watch via computer at https://yb.tl/ctc2015# .
British Powerboat Racing Clubs Facebook and Twitter page will also keep you updated on race developments, more details can be found at the Cowes Classic race website https://cowestorquaycowes.co.uk/
First photograph: Steve Willis
