COGS Annual Prizegiving 2024

COGS Annual Dinner and Prizegiving

We broke with tradition this year and had the prizegiving at the Upper Deck in Falmouth Marina, as unfortunately RCYC could not accommodate all 76 of us for dinner. Some of our sponsors were able to accept our invitation to join us for the event.

I think all agreed that they did us proud, and thanks to Marc, Issy and the crew for looking after us so well. It really was a party and quite a few members brought their partners as well as their crews and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Clive Tayton did an amazing job organising, buying and sorting the prizes, as he had throughout the season.

Tim and I both gave a brief introduction with a quick review of the year and information about next year. The new season was described and the Race Calendar is now on this website.

On behalf of us all, Anthony presented Johnny Walker with a special thank you consisting of a bottle of Johnny Walker Black Label and a rather fetching photograph of Johnny and Julia Dean, his partner, crewing Bellissima with us. He is leaving the committee, having been Chairman and also Treasurer over the last eight years, having started racing with Tony Statham in COGS more than 20 years ago, surpassed only by Julia, who we think was the longest serving racer in COGS present on the night!

Gilly Fox, a previous Chairman, thanked the current team for the achievements of 2024 and presented a bottle of champagne to Tim for us to share.

The winners of all three series, in both IRC and RYAYTC can be seen in the Results section of the website.

This year we decided to award the Top Yacht Trophy for each the winners of the IRC and RYAYTC boats, based on the number of points achieved in all three components of the three race series with no discards – rewarding participation as well as achievement.

Tim Rowley and his crew on Blue Horizon won the RYAYTC prize and Andrew Laming and crew won the IRC category – well done to both skippers and their crews!

A new innovation was a photography prize, based on the 2024 racing season, adjudicated blindly by 10 committee members. In third place was Jon Christie, from Bellissima, second was Freya Peachey, from Afrita, and I was fortunate enough to win the first prize!

We also had two prize draws, one from Premier Marinas (a free lift and hull scrub next season), won by Tim Lukes (Pogolyre) and another from Cutting Edge, presented by Emma, the owner, which was a voucher to use in her salon, won by Mile Lithgow (Nightowler), which, not surprisingly, he gave to his wife!

Tim and I and all of the committee wish all our members a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year and look forwards to seeing you on the water next year.

Anthony Nathan
More photos can be found under the General Info tab and Photos