Editing Cowes Week (section)

==Description==
Cowes Week is held at the beginning of August, set after [[Glorious Goodwood]] in the [[Season (society)|social calendar]], which in most years means from the first Saturday after the last Tuesday in July, until the following Friday.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Limited |first=Cowes Week |title=Cowes Week - Dates of future Cowes Weeks |url=http://www.cowesweek.co.uk/web/code/php/main_c.php?map=cw23&ui=cw4&style=std&override=&section=regatta&page=dates |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=www.cowesweek.co.uk}}</ref>  It is occasionally moved to another week if the state of the tides in the normal week is unfavourable or, as in 2012, to avoid a clash with the Olympic Games. The regatta was famous for its fireworks on the final Friday, however there has not been a display since 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=No Fireworks Or Red Arrows Flypast At Cowes Week |url=https://www.iwradio.co.uk/news/isle-of-wight-news/no-fireworks-or-red-arrows-flypast-at-cowes-week/ |access-date=2023-07-15 |website=Isle of Wight Radio |language=en}}</ref> The display had taken place on the final Friday of the event since the early days and was an iconic finale.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://onthewight.com/cowes-fireworks-will-return-in-2017-thanks-to-new-sponsor|title=Cowes fireworks will return in 2017 thanks to new sponsor |date=23 June 2017 |publisher=On the Wight|accessdate=27 March 2018}}</ref>

Typically Cowes Week up to forty starts a day for classes of cruiser-racers, one designs and keelboats; around 500 boats<ref name=":0" /> and 2,500 competitors take part. During this time the [[Solent]], which is a busy commercial waterway, is filled with boats of all classes and is particularly colourful due to the [[spinnaker]]s (the large rounded sail hoisted at the front of a [[yacht]] when running downwind). The different classes of boats are split into either White Group (dayboats) and Black Group (larger boats with cabins).

As well as the sailing activities, the week includes a large number of onshore events including live music and cocktail parties. Marquees are erected in the marinas serving food and drink,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aamcowesweek.co.uk/web/code/php/main_c.php?map=cw14&ui=cw1&style=std&override=&section=shoreside&page=venues|title=Venues at Cowes Week |publisher=Cowes Week Limited|accessdate=16 September 2013}}</ref> and the crowds overflow from busy public houses and restaurants around the narrow high street – the town becomes a hive of activity into the early hours of each morning. Around 100,000 visitors are attracted to Cowes by the festival atmosphere of the event each year in addition to all the competitors.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sailing/win-tickets-to-lendy-cowes-week-sailing-regatta/ |title=Win a VIP experience at Lendy Cowes Week sailing regatta |work= The Daily Telegraph|date=4 February 2016 |location=London|accessdate=6 February 2018}}</ref>

From 1995 to 2008 its official title was Skandia Cowes Week, named after title sponsor [[Skandia]] the Swedish financial services group.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=World |first=Yachting |date=2007-07-23 |title=Skandia steps down as Cowes title sponsor |url=https://www.yachtingworld.com/races/cowes-week-2007/skandia-steps-down-as-cowes-title-sponsor-24435 |access-date=2023-04-10 |magazine=Yachting World |language=en-US}}</ref> From 2011 to 2016 its official title was Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week, named after the title sponsor. For 2017 and 2018 the event was<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-48430403|title=Cowes Week sponsor Lendy enters administration|date=28 May 2019|publisher=BBC}}</ref> known as Lendy Cowes Week, after Lendy Limited took over title sponsorship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iwradio.co.uk/2017/06/07/lendy-announced-new-title-sponsor-cowes-week-isle-wight/ |title='Lendy' Announced As New Title Sponsor For Cowes Week on the Isle of Wight |publisher= Isle of Wight Radio|accessdate=27 March 2018}}</ref> In 2019, Lendy ceased to be title sponsors.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-48430403|title=Cowes Week sponsor enters administration|date=2019-05-28|access-date=2019-09-11|language=en-GB}}</ref> Other supporters include Communications Sponsor [[Aql (company)|aql]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Limited|first=Cowes Week|title=Cowes Week – aql – Official Communications Sponsor|url=http://www.cowesweek.co.uk/web/code/php/main_c.php?map=cw21&ui=cw4&style=std&override=&section=sponsors&page=aql|access-date=2020-06-28|website=cowesweek.co.uk}}</ref>