THEY are both known for their adventures on water – but yesterday TV presenter Ben Fogle and Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon got the ultimate buzz when they hit the waves at Cowes Week.
Fogle joined Hampshire sailor Mike Golding on board his high speed boat Ecover while Le Bon sailed with Isle of Wight-based former Olympian Shirley Robertson for the final day of racing for the iShares Cup.
Television presenter Fogle may have ridden across the Atlantic, but nothing could have prepared him for the adrenaline rush of travelling across the water at speed of up to 45mph.
He joined the state of the art, nine-boat fleet for “joy rides” in the morning before taking part in the final day’s racing in the afternoon.
He said: “First time out there racing and it was awesome. High octane.
“I heard someone describe it as dinghy sailing on steroids and I think that’s the best way to describe it, it’s just so action packed and you really feel part of it.
“I’ve known Mike for a couple of years now so it’s great to get out sailing with him and enjoy what I also think is a fantastic spectator sport.
“I can’t remember the last time I saw so many people along the shoreline watching – I loved it.”
Keen sailor Le Bon, who sailed in the 1985 Fastnet race in which his boat flipped over and he and his crew famously had to be rescued, added: “It was very exciting, noisy and a lot of action. I’ve never seen people work so hard on boats before.
“I’m really not used to sailing in front of a grandstand but it was great.”
The iShares Cup at Cowes Week was won by Hampshire skipper Pete Cumming and his crew on Oman Sail Masirah.
Cumming posted an unbeatable series of wins over the three-day event to secure overall victory. The win puts him at the top of the iShares Cup leaderboard after three events.
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