Girls For Sail Managing Director, Annie O'Sullivan had a few words of advice for her gathering of 40 girls set to tackle Skandia Cowes Week in a fleet of four Sigma 38s.

Girls For Sail Managing Director, Annie O’Sullivan had a few words of advice for her gathering of 40 girls set to tackle Skandia Cowes Week in a fleet of four Sigma 38s.

A Friday night briefing in the Champagne Mumm tent kicked off Cowes week for the Girls For Sail team. They sampled the host’s produce while Annie ran through the week’s activities and introduced three of the Volvo RYA keelboat sailors, Gemma Farrell, Helen Brown and Jo Ryley, who will help to skipper the Girls For Sail yachts.

The crews of the quartet of yachts, named Bollie Dollies, Mumm Minxs, Cliquot Chicks and Cowes Kittens, clapped and cheered as they were shown their freebies for the week. Bollé sunglasses would apparently be worn “as long as they’re mascara friendly” and marine clothing companies T&G, Mad Cowes, Scrap and Bergs all got in on the act to provide clothing. It all smacks of more fun than anything else with a touch of parody thrown in to the mix although Girls For Sail have got male-crewed yachts in their class as a defined target to beat.

Yachting World’s Christina Sampson will be sailing with Girls For Sail this week.