Westward Cup

The Westward Cup was initiated to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the launch of the racing schooner Westward in 1910. She was designed and built by one of the most successful yacht designers, Nathanael G Herreshoff, in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA. She was one of the fastest and most famous of the Big Class racing yachts, regularly competing in Cowes and most successfully against King George V’s yacht Britannia, and other Big Class yachts.

The Regatta is run by an association of three of the most prestigious yacht clubs in the world, the Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS), the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM) and the New York Yacht Club (NYYC). The organisers have set out to replicate a style, class and regatta atmosphere matching the period when Westward and the Big Class yachts all raced in Cowes, the birthplace of such elegant racing during the 1920s and 30s.

SECOND EDITION OF THE WESTWARD CUP
11-16 June 2012
Confirmed in the line-up for 2012 are Eleonora, Mariette, Mariquita with Altair hoping to join them. The racing area will predominately be in the Solent and courses will be, where possible, set to mirror those used by Big Class yachts in those glory days. These prestigious vessels will enjoy four days of racing, adhering to the ‘La Belle Classe by the YCM’ racing guidelines, created in close consultation with traditional yacht captains and owners and applied in all the major classic yacht gatherings to ensure safe and gentlemanly racing. A Round the Isle of Wight race may be included, if weather permits.

The yachts will be racing for a different Trophy each day and the overall winner will be presented with the Westward Cup at the final prize-giving ceremony. The trophy was designed by English Silversmith, Richard Parsons for the inaugural event in July 2010 and is similar in design to the Cup that Westward won when she was racing in the Solent in the early part of the last century.

Westward Cup 2012 programme

Tues 12 June	Race 1 for the Yacht Club de Monaco Trophy
Wed 13 June	Race 2 for the Boat International Media Trophy
Thurs 14 June	Lay Day
Fri 15 June	Race 3 for the New York Yacht Club Trophy
Sat 16 June	Race 4 for the Royal Yacht Squadron Trophy   Prize-giving ceremony at the RYS Pavilion

 
Spectating
This exquisite fleet of Big Class yachts will, for most of the races, be sailing within the confines of the Solent and spectators will be able to watch the starts and finishes from Cowes. The key vantage points will be along the Cowes Parade below the RYS battlements and along Prince’s Green to the West. These huge yachts often carry up to 40 race crew and can take up to half an hour to either put up or take down their sails. Owing to the amount of room these boats need to manoeuvre, there will be strict on-water guidelines in place for all spectator and pleasure craft and there will be safety boats patrolling during the racing.

For further information visit www.rys.org.uk