The Isle of Wight Beacon – the Island's daily news sport and weather website

News Stories for August 2010


SEVENSTAR ROUND BRITAIN AND IRELAND RACE- RECORD SMASHED BY 14 + HOURS Courtesy of Suzanne Whitewood
- Groupama returned to Cowes on Sunday morning having sailed around the coast of England, Scotland and Ireland in the SEVENSTAR ROUND BRITAIN AND IRELAND RACE and smashed the previous record by more than 14 hours.
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CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
- The Isle of Wight branch of the YMCA needs volunteers.
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YOUTH GROUPS RECEIVE £8,000 FUNDING FROM COMMUNITY FUND
- The Foyer in Ryde is among the latest organisations to receive funding from the Isle of Wight Community Fund.
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NEW BESTIVAL CHARITY’S GOTTA LOTTA BOTTLE
- Workshops on saving water and money on utility bills are among the initiatives being planned by a new registered charity being launched ahead of Bestival 2010.
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POWERBOAT FESTIVAL TIMETABLE
- With 50 craft expected, the 2010 British Powerboat Festival is the largest assembly of powerboats anywhere in the world this year.
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COWES POWERBOAT FESTIVAL 2010 LINE UP
- To be held in Cowes from 26th-29th August this year’s British Powerboat Festival will see the 50th running of a Powerboat race from Cowes.
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COWES GEARING UP FOR NEW LOOK POWERBOAT FESTIVAL Hannes Bohinc is among those fighting for the trophy
- The Red Arrows and a Lynx helicopter display from the Royal Navy are among the attractions expected to draw the crowds at this weekend’s Powerboat Festival.
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THEY’RE OFF- START OF SEVENSTAR RACE
- After a change of course announced within hours of the start all 27 boats in The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race exploded into action at 1400 after the start off the RYS line.
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GO PINK FOR BREAST CARE CAMPAIGN
- Blackgang Chine’s Wild West Fireworks Party is turning pink to help raise funds for Breast Cancer Campaign, on Wednesday 25 August.  
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ALL CHANGE FOR SEVENSTAR RACE
- At the Skipper’s Briefing for the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) announced a dramatic change to the race.
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TEAM IRELAND WIN! Photo credit - S.Whitewood
- Team Ireland continued its relentless pursuit to win the 2010 Rolex Commodores’ Cup. With France fielding four separate teams and GB three, Ireland put all its resources into mounting a single challenge which paid off.
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MERSTONE BUSINESS IN RUNNING FOR AWARD
- An Isle of Wight business has been named one of the South West and Wales’ top young companies, in the HSBC Start-Up Stars Awards.  
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BOAT TOWED TO SAFETY BY RNLI CREW
- Cowes lifeboat’s raced to the aid of a large gaff-rigged yacht, after a dismasting in strong winds in the Solent.  
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SAFE COWES WEEK 2010
- Cowes Week 2010 has been labeled the safest yet, recording the lowest ever number of drug and alcohol related incidents at Cowes Yacht Haven.  The venue welcomed around 85,000 visitors.
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IRISH HOLD ON TO LEAD Photo credit - S.Whitewood
- With a 2.5x point co-efficient, the Offshore Rolex Commodores’ Cup race had the potential to provide a major upset in the results, but after four days of competition the Irish team hold an even more commanding lead, now- 29.5 points.
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BANK HOLIDAY DIG FOR TIME TRAVELLERS
- Civil War coins and cannon balls are among the treasures visitors to Carisbrooke Castle will be able to get their hands on, over the Bank Holiday weekend.
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RECORD FLEET FOR RACE
- Starting from Cowes, Monday 23rd August The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race is one of the most challenging races in the world and for the 2010 edition, more competitors than ever will be racing around Great Britain, Ireland and all of the outlying islands.
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MOVE SPELLS CHANGES AT REGISTRY OFFICE
- The Isle of Wight Council’s Registry Office will close, on 30 September, as it moves from Northwood House in Cowes to the local authority’s building in Newport’s Seaclose.  
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START OF ROLEX COMMODORES’ CUP 2010
- At the end of last week all the 30 boats, comprising 10 teams, arrived safely in Cowes and after a reception held at the Royal Yacht Squadron everyone was waiting for the Cup races to begin.
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POWERBOATS RETURN TO IW COAST Fabio Buzzi and Hannes Bohinc.
- Over 30 boats will line up off The Needles for the Cowes 100, on Friday 27 August, as part the British Powerboat Festival.
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RESTAURANT OPENS IN COWES YACHT HAVEN Rolex Commodores’ Cup 2010
- Following its success at Cowes Week, The Deck Bar and Restaurant has ‘popped up’ at another prestigious event, with the start of the Rolex Commodores’ Cup.
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ROLEX COMMODORES’ CUP SAILS INTO COWES
- Racing commences on Sunday 15th August for this year’s Rolex Commodores’ Cup.30 boats will contest the event which sees the boats divided into ten Teams.
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RYDE LIONS DONATE TO THE FLOOD DISASTER IN PAKISTAN
- A charity group from Ryde is helping the aid effort in Pakistan, following catastrophic flooding.
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ISLANDERS URGED TO VOTE FOR TRAINS PROJECT
- There are just a few hours left to vote for the Isle of Wight Steam Railway, in a competition for lottery cash. Lines close at midday on 13 August.
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BE A VIP AT SUMMER MADNESS
- With a backdrop of Carisbrooke Castle why not be a VIP at Summer Madness on Sunday 29th August. As the sun finally comes out (but we can’t guarantee it) this exclusive one day event is set to put all the rest firmly in the shade.
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MORE ON COWES WEEK Artemis Even Keel Winner
- By Tuesday both White and Black Groups had settled into good racing patterns off their various starts.
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SPECIAL EVENTS AT COWES WEEK Louise Morton
- Two special events took place during Cowes Week and both involved Isle of Wight sailors.
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DEVELOPER NAMED FOR PROPOSED EAST COWES HOUSES
- Barratt Homes will build 180 houses in East Cowes, as part of the Cowes Waterfront Initiative, if the scheme is given the go ahead in September.
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£15K PER ANNUM FOR 1950s ACTIVITY CENTRE Inside the Fort Bouldnor estate.
- It’s your chance to acquire a former Second World War gun battery turned activity and training centre!

The estate agents, Stonesmith, are advertising a new lease for the Fort Bouldnor Activity and Training Area
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COUNCIL LEADER APPOINTED TO GOVERNMENT EDUCATION ADVISORY GROUP
- The leader of the Isle of Wight Council is one of nine local authority leaders to join a national advisory group on education matters.
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FOUR DAYS OF EXTREME RACING AT COWES Photo courtesy of Mark Lloyd
- After a weekend of thrills and spills the Extreme 40’s have raced for a further four days off The Green/Egypt Point at Cowes. Every day the shore has been packed with spectators as has the special Extreme Village where members of the public could view this fast and furious sport for free.
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ARTEMIS CHALLENGE AT COWES WEEK RNLI cheque
- In addition to all the usual yacht races which take place during Cowes Week there have been a number of special races during the regatta. One of these was the Artemis Challenge sailed over a round the Island (clockwise) course.
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START OF COWES WEEK Americas Cup - Photo credit S.Whitewood
- After light rain showers on Saturday morning the front cleared away towards the end of the starting sequence, leaving bright sun and perfect sailing conditions in a steady Force 4 wind blowing from west-south-west.
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HOLIDAY FUN AT NEWPORT ROMAN VILLA
- Catapults and gruesome cures are the order of the day at Newport Roman Villa, during the summer holidays.
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DRAMA AT COWES EXTREME RACING Photo credit - S.Whitewood
- After some spectacular Extreme 40 racing on Media Day (Friday) the “real show” got under way on Saturday.
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FUNDRAISER TO MARK COWES WEEK CHARITY DAY
- It’s charity day at Cowes Week 2010 and, to mark the day, young fundraiser Robbie Southwell will be meeting members of the Cowes RNLI lifeboat crew.  
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