Cowes Week video report

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AND THEY'RE OFF: The Artemis fleet. Picture OnEdition

HAMPSHIRE round the world sailor Brian Thompson avenged last year's result by taking the top spot in yesterday's Artemis Challenge off Cowes.

Thompson, from Gosport, fought a tight race with Mike Golding's Ecover and Sebastien Josse's BT at the head of the fleet and narrowly edged a victory.

The race started in blustery conditions with Ecover and Dee Caffari's Aviva in pole position at the start.

On the approach to the Needles and with the breeze increasing to 15 knots, Pindar was in the lead with Ecover less than 300 metres behind and closing.

Alex Thompson onboard Hugo Boss was in third place, just off Ecover's stern, as the fleet rounded Bridge buoy and Josse on BT rounded off the leading group.

Aviva was just in front of Artemis Ocean Racing 1 and 2 with Steve White's Spirit of Weymouth following.

Pindar led as the fleet passed the Needles, with BT and Hugo Boss only 90 seconds behind.

Ecover followed the front runners with Aviva slowing due to a tear in the leech of the genoa allowing Artemis 1 and 2 to catch up.

It was a wet and wild ride for all the teams up until St Catherine's Point when spinnakers were hoisted and the downwind legs ensued.

Pindar led with BT, Hugo Boss and Ecover all competing for second place.

The battle for fifth was tight with Aviva holding her position, but Artemis 1 and 2 closing.

Pindar managed to hold onto her lead, crossing the Cowes finish line in first place with BT second and Ecover in third.

Winning skipper Thompson said: "It was brilliant to compete against some of the top skippers and record a win."

Warsash sailor Golding, meanwhile, was content with how his boat handled as he continued his preparations for the round the world Vendee Globe race which begins off France in November.

"We had a good start up to the Needles and Pindar passed us as we got to the Needles," he said.

"At Hurst Narrows we probably should have changed the sail configuration where it was less windy, but we made the call a bit later and BT and Hugo Boss managed to get through.

"Just before Bembridge we had a good gybe and over took Boss and kept our position through to the finish.

"I am comfortable with our boat speed and feel that we are in a good place right now from a boat performance perspective."

l Alinghi won the UK round of the iShares Cup at Skandia Cowes Week yesterday.

TEAM ORIGIN claimed second place and, as a result, held on to the overall lead in the 2008 iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series.

At the halfway stage in the European circuit, only one point now separates TEAM ORIGIN from Alinghi.

The final day produced continued drama that saw both Franck Cammas' BMW ORACLE Racing and JPMorgan Asset Management capsize in the first race.

A quick righting by Cammas' team enabled them to keep on racing, but the JPMorgan rig was broken.

11:03am Wednesday 6th August 2008

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