Cowes Week 2017
Cowes Week this year is celebrated 29th July – 5th August and is held on the Solent (water between Isle of Wight and Southern England). It is attended by Thousands of people, with over 40 races a day and up to 1000 boats! It is by far the largest sailing regatta in the world!
History
Cowes Week began in 1826 when the Royal Yacht Club organised yacht races for a Gold Cup with a value of £100! In the first race, there were 7 entrants (all paying a £2 fee to enter!) and the winner was ‘Arrow’ and Joseph Weld Esq. Estimated crowds of 3 thousand + watched on! There was also a regatta ball afterwards on the Thursday and a RYC dinner on the Friday. Cowes Week is known for its fireworks on the last day (the Friday) and even this started in 1826!
Modern Day
In 2004, Cowes combine clubs moved into a purpose-built Regatta Centre which was opened by HRH Prince Philip. Around 8,000 competitors now participate, including Olympic athletes, world class yachtsmen and even weekend sailors! There is more than just racing however and the festival atmosphere attracts over 100,000 people! The population of the Isle of Wight is around 150,000 people to put the magnitude of Cowes Week into perspective!
Style
Of course, we think the Breton Shirt is perfect for Cowes Week if you’re visiting. We’d recommend any of our traditional 21 stripe shirts for the quintessential look! One thing about British weather is that it is predictably unpredictable and you may need something a little warmer. Check out our Submariner Breton Shirt. Robust and made from bullet proof 300gsm cotton. It won’t disintegrate just as its starting to feel good.
Submariner
Or if your looking for a more predictable classic then look at our limited edition T-Shirt v2. All the classic Breton ingredients ‘sans’ sleeves! An inspired example of how a blend of supersoft cotton, no compromise knitting mixed with traditional stripes can outperform the flimsy T-shirts we see littered throughout our high streets today.
Le T-Shirt v2
We are really excited for Cowes Week this year and we would love it if you sent us pictures of yourselves wearing your Breton if you’re attending! We may even give away a shirt of your choice to our favourite picture! Keep a look out for us on social media during the week for some fun and competitions! We will be using the #CowesWeek.