Racing was abandoned for the day on Monday, but inspiration was in full sail.
Sunday night’s decision to call off racing brought a day of rest for most Cowes Week crews.
However, a few undeterred Cape 31 teams braved the gusty conditions for a morning practice session, resulting in at least one blown spinnaker.
Olympic gold medal-winning kitesurfer Ellie Aldridge, currently competing on the Cape 31 Fargo, swapped racing for a wingfoiling display alongside champion kitesurfer Tom Court in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron.
Tom Court and Ellie Aldridge off Cowes today (Image: Martin Allen) Geoffrey Yeowart’s Arc En Ciel was named winner of the Weekend Warrior Trophy, awarded to the top Club Cruiser racing for just the first three days of Cowes Week.
Both Arc En Ciel and runner-up Arcadian, helmed by Simon Grigg and Anne Jackson, compete in Club Cruiser C.
Sunday was also Charity Day, with the RNLI and Autism on the Water among the official Cowes Week charities.
Murray MacDonald, director of Autism on the Water and skipper of the charity’s Hunter Impala 28, said: "I'm autistic myself and sailing's really helped me with confidence, problem solving and social skills, which are three skills people with autism struggle with in everyday life."
Crew member Eilidh Johnston, who is also autistic, said: "Sailing has changed how I look at things, I've gained so much confidence.
"I find being on land and everything that goes on and living in a city, is just so stressful and it's loud and it's a lot and as soon as I got on the water... it was absolutely freeing, the sound of the water and the waves and the ropes and just everything that's going.
"I love it and I just feel such a comfort."
The Andrew Cassell Foundation (ACF) has four boats racing in the Sonar class, including ACF Dolphin, skippered by project director Matt Grier.
Matt said: "We train every other weekend from October all the way through, building up new people our aim is to get them sailing, racing independently, so Cowes Week is a celebration of how well the guys have done."
The Sonar class features 15 boats this year, with disabilities among crew members ranging from amputations to cerebral palsy and visual or hearing impairments.
The Stride Forward charity is also competing, supporting individuals with life-changing injuries.
Olympic sailor Stuart Childerley, who sustained serious injuries in a road bike accident four years ago, is part of the Stride Forward crew.
Stuart said: "The satisfaction and the personal achievement at the end of the race is huge, you can see it on our crew's faces.
"It really is so special.
"It is very different to any other opportunity that they're experienced.
"To me, it really highlights that racing boats shouldn't be afraid of taking on crew with physical limitations."
The Scaramouche Sailing Trust, which supports the Greig City Academy Sailing Programme and provides opportunities for inner city children to sail, also overcame adversity.
Their Flying Fifteen yacht, crewed by Jessye Opoku-Ware and Corneille LePrince, blew out a spinnaker while in second place, but support from the sailing community ensured they returned to the water.
The Trust’s Etchells team on Palaver finished second in yesterday’s racing.
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