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Sailing on the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is the ideal destination for a sailing holiday in the UK. It is known as the home of yachting, with a great range of sailing events, which take place all year round. The offshore waters of the Channel and the Solent provide excellent conditions for sailing.

Sailing is a favourite pastime for visitors and Island residents alike and the sea is busy with boats all year round. In August the seafronts and esplanades throng with spectators who come for Skandia Cowes Week the world's most famous international yachting regatta. From yacht crews to film crews, the whole Island buzzes with activity, culminating in a grand fireworks display on the last Friday of the Week. For those who want to join in the fun there are a number of companies offering equipment-hire, whilst for those who prefer the view from the shore there are plenty of perfectly placed bars and restaurants.

Due to such perfect surroundings for sailing, it's not surprising that the Island has its own home grown sailing talent, and those that have chosen to make this their home due to the facilities and locations.

Ellen McArthur MBE
At the age of 26 years she has received Yachtswoman of the Year, the youngest ever world champion in offshore racing in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, and has been honoured an MBE. Her hard work began in the Solent using the facilities of Island based UKSA. Ellen has a home in Cowes making this a perfect base for training.

Shirley Robertson OBE
The 32 year old claimed an Olympic Gold medal in Sydney 2000 in the European Class and was named female sailor of the year by the International Sailing Federation in the same year. Her success continued when Shirley was rewarded with an historical second Gold Medal at the Athens 2004 Olympics. As a keen sailor, she has chosen Cowes as the perfect location to train in and has made this her home.

Seb Clover
The 16 year old has become the youngest solo yachtsman to sail across the Atlantic, after training with his father since he was 12 years old. The Island-based boy went head to head in a race against his sailing instructor father. Although his father beat him to the finish, Seb has made the record books for completing the 27,000-mile race aged 15. Seb, is now considering sailing around the world.

Ben Ainslie OBE
Skandia Cowes Week, the mecca for yachtsmen and women welcomed Ben Ainslie to race in August 2003. The then 26 year old had a selection of medals already under his belt, including Silver at the Olympics in Atlanta and Gold at the Laser Class at Sydney. In the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Ben won his second Gold medal and third Olympic medal in the larger Finn Class, cementing his place as one of the World's top sailors. In 2008, Ben will endeavour to win his third successive Olympic Gold, and fourth Olympic Medal in Beijing.