The Royal London Yacht Club says coronavirus has forced the cancellation of Cowes Classics Week.

It follows last week's cancellation of the main Cowes Week regatta, due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read more: Coronavirus: Cowes Week sailing regatta cancelled

Cowes Classics Week organisers say the safety of competitors, plus its large team of volunteers, is paramount.

With social distancing still very much in force, the organisers felt they could not continue with their plans to host the regatta in July. 

Cowes Classics Week, which attracts in excess of 140 entries, is not just about the racing. 

The wide range of social events bring together all the crews throughout the week and help make the regatta such a success, but with the current restrictions it was felt it would not have been possible to run it safely.

Regatta Chairman, David Gower commented: “Whilst we know many competitors will be disappointed, it has become clear that we could not deliver a successful regatta this year and the responsible decision is to cancel.

"As well as having to ensure the safety of both organisers and competitors, we are also conscious that many Isle of Wight residents are uncomfortable with large numbers of visitors at this time.

"I wish to thank sincerely our valued volunteers, Royal London Yacht Club staff and our steadfast sponsors who, in some cases, have challenges of their own to deal with. We all look forward to a fantastic regatta in 2021."

The 2021 event will take place between the 17 and 23 July.

Cowes Classics Day will run on Thursday 22 July 2021, with a display of over 50 classic cars on The Parade, plus classic powerboats berthed on the London Landing and the RYS Yacht Haven. 

The annual Cowes-Torquay-Cowes powerboat event has also been cancelled this year.

Read more: Cowes Torquay Cowes powerboat race 60th event delayed until 2021

The regatta charity, the Classic Boat Museum, will also have a display of historic classic boats along the seafront.