One of sailing’s most iconic events takes place in June, and there is still time to get involved.
The Round the Island Race will take place on Saturday 7 June, with hundreds of boats set to feature in the annual spectacle. Entries are open until Wednesday 4 June, though anyone who signs up by 24 May will save 50 per cent on the late entry fee.
Dave Atkinson, Race Director, has urged people to sign up now: “As always, we are very excited about the race and really looking forward to welcoming everybody. If you are thinking about taking part, we would strongly encourage you to sign up now. The discount, in itself, is significant and once you are in, you can savour the pre-race build up and look forward to being part of what is a very special day.”
The 50nm race circumnavigates the Isle of Wight, involving competitors from all over the globe. The event is known for bringing together world-renowned sailors with families and first-time racers.
The fleet start from the famous Royal Yacht Squadron Line at Cowes, before heading west to The Needles, continuing around the Island, passing St Catherine’s Point and Bembridge Ledge Buoy, before heading into the Solent and back to Cowes to finish. The course record for a monohull boat, set by Mike Slade on ICAP Leopard in 2013, is 3h 43m 50s, while Ned Collier Wakefield set the multihull record of 2h 22m 23s in 2017, on Concise 10.
Thomas Wilson, competing on Zero II, believes Round the Island Race is a must for any sailor.
Thomas said: “For me, Round the Island is probably the most iconic race around. I love how it is organised and how participation ranges between different boats and crews. It is a truly exceptional site, a really interesting course and I cannot wait to take part again. We are spending all weekend on the Island this year and really looking forward to it.”
To sign up, visit roundtheisland.org.uk
