Skandia has announced the five teams competing as the 2006 Skandia Squad at this year’s Skandia Cowes Week.
This year’s teams come from as far north as Dundee and as far south as Torquay in Devon. They will race against each other as part of the Sonar class, under the supervision of the United Kingdom Sailing Academy (UKSA).
Each team will sail under one of Skandia’s values: Commitment, Contribution, Courage, Passion and Creativity. They were selected following a nationwide competition to find people who would like to race at Skandia Cowes Week but do not have the resources, experience or skills to do so.
As the organisers of Skandia Cowes Week finalise their plans for the running of the 180th Regatta and the first-ever Ladies Day in the Event's history, they have revealed some of the activities and events being held to mark Ladies Day in Cowes on Thursday, 3rd August.
·Skandia has arranged for two of its UKSA/Try Sailing yachts to be managed by women instructors for the day and these yachts are reserved specifically to provide free sailing lessons for females aged eight and over.
·We are all familiar with hats being the scene stealers on Ladies Day at Royal Ascot. Well, Ladies Day @ Skandia Cowes Week will have a special focus on...FEET! Supporting sponsor Timberland is running a Fancy Feet competition and more details will shortly be available here on the Event website.
·The Event Media team, amongst others, will be sporting pretty pink t-shirts, courtesy of Henri-Lloyd.
·Champagne G.H. Mumm is offering discounted Mumm Rosé throughout Ladies Day at their waterfront bar in Cowes Yacht Haven.
·The Ellen MacArthur Trust is running a ‘Best Ladies’ time competition as part of its Virtual Skipper game on the stand on Cowes Parade.
·Cowes Yachting Magazine is staging a Fashion Show extravaganza on the main stage in Cowes Yacht Haven in the afternoon. This will showcase the latest fashions to suit every requirement during Skandia Cowes Week, ranging from sailing gear through to beachwear, casuals and the high fashion labels being worn at the Week’s most exclusive cocktail parties and yacht club balls. Commemorative merchandiseFor the 180th Anniversary, Cowes Combined Clubs are introducing a limited edition range of commemorative merchandise in celebration of the heritage of the Event. Items including mugs, t-shirts, notebooks, notecards and prints will be available for purchase from the Event Information Point on Cowes Parade, the Regatta Office in Bath Road, and Ocean World on Cowes High Street. Yarmouth-Cowes-Yarmouth bus serviceFor 2006, Cowes Combined Clubs are working in partnership with Southern Vectis to provide a Skandia Cowes Week Direct Express Bus Service between Yarmouth and Cowes. The buses will be scheduled to coincide with the Wightlink ferry service arriving in Yarmouth from Lymington and will operate each day of the Event (29 July – 5 August) from approx 08:00 until 21:00. Full timetable details can be found here.