STARS of world sailing will be gathering in Cowes today for five days of competitive racing off the Isle of Wight for the Royal Yacht Squadron’s Bicentenary International Regatta.

Founded in June 1815 at the Thatched House Tavern in St James Street, London, the Squadron was first known as “The Yacht Club”.

The club attracted Royal patronage a year later in 1817 when The Earl of Yarborough, later first Commodore of the Yacht Club, welcomed the Prince Regent, later King George IV, as a member in 1817.

In 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV, Royal was added to the Club’s name. The Club’s association with the Royal Navy was also forged during these early years as Nelson’s Captain at Trafalgar, Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, was among early Honorary Naval members.

Throughout its 200-years history, the Squadron’s contribution to yachting has been unique and to mark this year’s occasion, the Squadron is hosting the invitational regatta to bring together as many clubs and friends as possible from around the globe.

The Squadron was first known as a Yacht Club when it was founded in June 1815, before becoming known as the Royal Yacht Squadron by command of His Majesty King William IV in 1833.

The event is expected to provide quite a spectacle as the Island gets set to welcome scores of entrants for the regatta, with over seventy entries in the IRC class along with 10 teams in the Team Racing

division and 10 Level Rating entries.

It has also been confirmed that the three J-Class yachts, Velsheda, Lionheart and Ranger, will be providing a crowd-pleasing attraction on the Royal Yacht Squadron’s line each morning.

The J’s are undisputedly one of the big pulls of the event but with Class Zero following close behind, spectators can expect a phenomenal sight as the likes of Bella Mente, Leopard and Rambler fight it out to get away from the start.

Racing gets underway at 10.30 each morning except on Wednesday July 29 for the Race Around the Island, which begins at the earlier time of 0800 8am.

The direction of the Race Around the Island (being referred to as RATI) will be clockwise, in the opposite direction to the popular annual Round the Island Race, although there is a contingency plan to substitute a long offshore race if weather conditions demand it.

The level racing fleet comprises the Farr designed Beneteau matched First 40 yachts supplied by Sunsail. This fleet of identical yachts will provide a highly competitive platform between the crews of the competing clubs which include seven from overseas, the New York Yacht Club, Real Club Nautico of Gran Canaria, Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Royal Varuna Yacht Club, St Francis Yacht Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. Four UK clubs will also be competing including the Royal Ocean Racing Club, Royal Yacht Squadron, the Royal Solent and Royal Thames Yacht Clubs.

The Team Racing event in the J70s will have courses laid in the Osborne Bay area, to the East of Cowes, for all five days of the event.

For the Level Rating and the Team Racing classes, crew skills and team work will be paramount for success.

An added feature to the racing will see all IRC and level rating yachts fitted with a Trac Trac tracking unit for the duration of the event so that their progress can be followed on the tractrac.com website

In addition to the sailing itinerary, the event will also be packed with off the water activity. As well as a variety of class parties and the RYS Bicentenary Regatta Grand Party at Osborne House, North Sails will be holding their panel discussion at the Cowes Yacht Haven hosted by Ken Read featuring Sir Ben Ainslie, Sam Davies and Jimmy Spithill.

Entry is free and open to all competitors.

All information can be found on the event website www.bic2015.org or follow the latest updates on Twitter @rys_bicentenary.