Cowes Week 2009 sails ahead - without a sponsor

It's business as usual for the world's oldest and largest sailing regatta, Cowes Week, despite that fact that no new title sponsor has been found for the event. Cowes Week Limited, the organisation behind the world famous event, say that they are still in ongoing discussions with a number of companies regarding the sponsorship for 2009 and beyond.

Whatever the outcome, they say, they want sailors and spectators alike to rest assured that the regatta will go ahead as usual. Cowes Week, which started over 180 years ago, is an integral part of the British social and sporting calendar, and it is only relatively recently that sponsorship has formed a part of the regatta's overall commercial model. Every year the event attracts around a thousand yachts racing in up to forty classes and 8,500 competitors ranging from weekend sailors through to Olympic medallists and world champions. It is estimated that Cowes Week contributes £60 million to the Isle of Wight economy annually.     "Despite the tough sports marketing climate at the moment, we are in proactive discussions with a number of prospective headline sponsors. Our approach is very flexible, which is imperative given current market conditions. Any companies interested in the sponsorship of the event still have time to come on board for 2009," said Stuart Quarrie, CEO of Cowes Week Limited. Racing "In the meantime, we will soon be in a position to announce some exciting new additions to our family of supporting sponsors, and whatever happens, even with no title sponsor, the event will go ahead as usual this year". In a statement, Cowes Week Limited says it looks forward to welcoming regular participants and new competitors, as well as the 100,000 plus spectators who flock to the Isle of Wight to watch the racing annually, and hopes to see even more holidaymakers enjoying Cowes Week from the shore this year.