ISLAND CREW BAG 7 TROPHIES AT COWES POWERBOAT FESTIVAL

Last weekend’s Cowes Powerboat Festival resulted in an Island crew picking up 7 trophies. They were 2nd in the 67.1 NM. Cowes-Poole-Cowes Race with H 400 Thunderstreak and with owner-driver Hugo Peel being the oldest race finisher over the weekend they picked up another trophy. Previously owned by the legendary Tommy Sopwith the boat is 60 years old and the crew are “North of 71” and race as Team Royal Yacht Squadron. Cowes Yacht Haven Event Centre hosted the prize giving which began with a display from Medina Marching Band. It was no mean feat for the 30-strong band to perform indoors with the group playing  ‘The Final Countdown’ as their finale. There was drama in the main race- The Cowes -Torquay- Cowes event held over 180.73 NM. With an enforced refuelling stop in the Devon resort, Goodboy Vodka was the first competitor to arrive, only to retire on the return home run. Meanwhile ,Gary Adlington’s Double Trouble arrived just 18 seconds later and would be first across the  RYS line only to be subsequently disqualified. Therefore, Dean Stoneman’s Laa Laa was declared victorious in 2:53:09. Runner up was Drew Langdon and  Miles Jennings in Silverline, which had won the previous 5 editions but were well beaten in a time of 3:17:53. Third was Don Smith from Southampton in Pippa 3:39:13. These results are provisional due to inquiry. Saturday’s second race Cowes- Poole- Cowes over 67.1 NM saw Uno Embassy come home in 1:32:53 having won Cowes-Torquay- Cowes in 1975 with Don Shead as pilot. Runner up was Hugo Peel’s Thunderstreak in 2:00:08 with throttleman Adrian De Ferranti and Richard Jessel. 3rd place was taken by Team 25 Patriot Marine with Emma Lockyer and Ben Daffin. Sunday witnessed the Round the Island Race with Dean Stoneman securing a double with Laa Laa in 47:48 again getting the better of Cowes -Torquay- Cowes rival Silverline. (53:01) 3rd place AT Offshore Racing Dragon (54;02) with resident married couple Andy & Amy Twemlow who had been 4th in Saturday’s  C-T-C race. There was sponsorship for this year’s race from Kissimmee (Florida) and Goodboy Vodka and plans are about to commence for the 2025 edition.