Cowes Week 2011 - Latest News

Oct. 29, 2010 - PRLog -- Will Cowes Week 2011 actually happen? With no keynote sponsor for the third year in a row how much money have Cowes Combined Clubs got left? Well as they have numerous full time staff to pay for we guess the answer may sadly be "Not that much longer".

It seems odd that even in this economic climate that no major sponsor has been found, with Cowes week 2011 looking like being the third with no major sponsor since Skandia pulled out. But you have to remember Skandia gave Cowes Combined Clubs a full years notice that they were pulling out. So that effectively makes it four years without a major sponsor being found. Of note is the Skandia still sponsor Geelong week in Australia, which is the Southern Hemispheres version of Cowes Week.

Cowes week is the foremost sailing event in the World with over 1,000 yachts taking part and over 10,000 competitors. This combined with all of the shore side support required in terms of catering, accommodation and entertainment put on swells the towns population by around 30,000 for the week, with well over 100,000 people watching on water or from the shore side each day.

The highlight of the week for many who have been sailing or not is the huge fireworks display on Friday night which last for around half an hour and is considered to be one of the finest Worldwide. However at a cost of £50,000 and there being no major sponsor it has only gone ahead the past two years thanks to an anonymous donor.

One would speculate that this cannot continue and without the fireworks on Friday night will turn into a commercial disaster with many shops and restaurants requiring this weeks trade to carry them through the quiet Winter months. Without Cowes week many shops. bars and restaurants will struggle to survive in this current economic climate.

With the estimated 150,000 plus people that come to view the Fireworks of the Friday night? This would be a massive loss of trade. Last year alone many crew houses were empty for the first time in more years than people can remember

This World class event needs a major sponsor urgently or it is in danger of losing its World class status. Cowes Week can be built back up into the event it once was, but it needs sorting quickly to avoid becoming a non-event and losing out to Antigua week and Cork Week.

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