RAF Sailors Win at Cowes Week
 A team of RAF sailors has clinched victory in their class at Cowes Week, the world’s largest and longest running yachting regatta. Team RAFBF Spitfire, a group of six RAF sailors who have privately funded the purchase and running of their J80 racing yacht, clinched the prize after posting five wins and a 2nd place over a week’s racing from 31st July to 7th August.
Team Spitfire is working towards representing Great Britain at the J80 World Championships in 2012. The team also promotes the RAF Benevolent Fund (RAFBF) wherever they compete, flying the RAFBF heart roundel on their sails.
Cowes Week is one of the highest profile events in the yachting calendar and with a J80 class fleet of 19 yachts that included the Class National Champion, the team knew the regatta would provide a strong indicator as to their competitiveness.
The regatta got off to a mixed start with Spitfire winning the first day’s race only to be disqualified having been adjudged to have started prematurely. Despite this setback, the team started day two with the confidence that both boat and team were competitive, and from then on never looked back, competing in a diverse range of sailing conditions. Having completed six races the team were able to discard the points attributable to day one disqualification and thus clinched the J80 title with a day to spare.
Team Manager and skipper Wing Commander Simon Ling commented:
“We are absolutely delighted with this result which far exceeded our expectations. Cowes Week is a very challenging regatta that demands the best from boat and crew, so victory reassures us that we are very much moving in the right direction as a team. At the same time we’ve been very proud to promote the invaluable work of the RAF Benevolent Fund while we race, raising awareness of the work they do with serving and former members of the RAF and their families.”
Team Spitfire will now have a short break before undertaking a busy schedule of Autumn racing.
For more information visit www.rafbf.org.
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