Skandia Life Cowes Week just keeps getting bigger and better and this year it's going to be a record breaker.

For the first time in the history of the event organisers are expecting more than 1,000 boats will enter the world famous regatta.

The explanation for this increase in entries is down to 2001 being a Fastnet year, and also a large contingent of the foreign boats entered for the America's Cup Jubilee Regatta is expected to take part in Skandia Life Cowes Week.

A series of new initiatives will ensure, despite the large number of entrants, that the event will just be plain sailing.

This year there will be a 75 metre temporary pontoon off the Parade, funded for Cowes Week by Skandia Life, providing a useful drop-off point for competitors signing off at the Regatta office.

As part of its programme as the official charity for this year's event, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution is supplying an all-weather lifeboat for any rescues during the event.

Owing to the increased popularity of rigid inflatable boats even more berthing for RIBs will be made available than was provided at the Town Quay in 2000.

A programme of improvements made to Cowes Yacht Haven will benefit competitors and visitors alike. For example, the entertainment area that was enlarged as part of the development of the North Basin last year has been resurfaced and improved.

A new caf and wine bar will be open all day serving seafood outside the Media Centre on the South side of the Marina.

Carphone Warehouse, together with Fifth Element, are also promising a lively line-up of bands in the Cowes Yacht Haven entertainment programme.

Another new departure for this year's event is that the overall prizegiving, funded by the title sponsor, Skandia Life, will now take place at the Royal Squadron Pavilion at 11.30am on Sunday, August, 12.

SEE TODAY'S DAILY ECHO (24 JULY) FOR YOUR 12 PAGE GUIDE TO SKANDIA LIFE COWES WEEK 2001