IT is the largest and most famous event in the sailing calendar.

This weekend hundreds of brightly-coloured spinnakers will pack the Solent, marking the start of Skandia Cowes Week 2007.

With more than 1,000 yachts and 8,500 competitors taking part in some very challenging first-class sailing, the event attracts a wide range of local, national and international entrants, from true amateurs to Olympic and world champions.

Cowes Week is now in its 181st year and it has grown from being purely a racing event to a major social occasion for landlubbers and yachties alike.

Thousands of visitors will pack the narrow streets of Cowes, widely regarded as the UK's sailing mecca, to take in the buzzing atmosphere as well as a whole host of shoreside events.

On the water, racing officially starts tomorrow but events were due to begin today with racing from IRC Class 0, featuring the fastest, biggest and most expensive yachts in the regatta, starting at midday.

IRC Class 0 racing comes to a close a day earlier than other classes on Thursday to allow crews to prepare for the long-distance Rolex Fastnet Race, starting from Cowes the following Sunday.

Also due to start today was action from the iShares Cup, with eight Extreme 40 high performance catamarans blasting around just meters from Cowes Parade from 2pm onwards in what promises to be an exhilarating three days of races.

Today will also see the King of Cowes competition, a one-day, three-race mini regatta in identical Laser SB3 sports boats. The races will feature sailors from a diverse range of classes as well as celebrity guests including the BBC's Gabby Logan.

Events have been organised throughout the week including Extreme 40 exhibition sailing off Cowes Parade on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 5.30pm, Ladies Day on Thursday and of course the world-famous Friday night fireworks display.

Will's Cowes Week Diary For coverage of events both on and off the water at Skandia Cowes Week 2007 see Will Carson's daily coverage in your Daily Echo.