THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, July 14, 1995                  TAG: 9507140558
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C8   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY BOB HUTCHINSON, OUTDOORS EDITOR 
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                         LENGTH: Medium:   56 lines

COCKEYED RACE MORE FOR FUN THAN FINISH ABOUT 300 BOATS ARE EXPECTED TO SAIL IN THE COCK ISLAND RACE ON SATURDAY.

The Cock Island Race, expected to attract 300 boats to the starting line off the Portsmouth Seawall on Saturday, is hardly your average sailboat race.

For one thing, it's one of the world's 10 largest sailing races, according to sponsors Ports Events and the city of Portsmouth.

For another, many of the sailors race only once a year, in this event. Otherwise, they're ``cruising sailors,'' who simply enjoy spending time on the water in their boats.

For another, the race is held on one of the world's busiest waterways, the narrow Elizabeth River. Contestants have to contend with tugs, barges, Navy ships, commercial ships and other traffic.

For another, even the sponsors don't take the competition very seriously. The official program even says that ``the real objective is fun.''

That's because pre-race festivities in the Portside area, next to the Seawall, include a stage show at 4 p.m. Friday, followed by a street dance at at 7 p.m.

Then on Saturday, there'll be another show on Portside's Water Stage at 4 p.m. and another street dance at 7.

And then there's the name of the race. The race-headquarters area along the Elizabeth River once was known as Cock Island, a nickname hung on it in the late 1800s by sailors who came to watch once-fashionable cock fights.

At least that's the official line. But there are others who will tell you, with a twinkle in their eyes, that the nickname had a different source.

Regardless, there's no disputing that this year's 8th annual race will be a big one. With 10 classes, sponsors have had to limit the field to 300 boats at the request of the Coast Guard.

``The Coast Guard folks said they thought would be too dangerous to be on the river if we had more boats than that,'' said Sandy Craig, Ports Events spokesperson.

Saturday's first class will start at 9:30, followed by the other classes at 5-minute intervals.

The starting line will be at Mile Marker 0 on the Intracoastal Waterway. The boats will race down the river, around Middleground Light in Hampton Roads and back to Mile Marker 0.

The Euclid Hanbury trophy, named for one of the area's greatest racing sailors, will go to the crew with the best overall showing in either PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) classes A, B, C or D. Other classes will include PHRF Non-Spinnaker 1 and 2 and Cruising I, II, III and IV.

Trophies will go to the top five corrected-time finishers in each class, with corrections based on assigned handicaps.

Spectators may view the races from the Seawall, which runs along the waterfront at the foot of either side of High Street. by CNB