The Island Sailing Club, organisers of the annual Round the Island Race, has announced a new date for the 2025 edition, following the Isle of Wight Festival’s decision to hold their event on the same day as the Race. The annual race, which attracts over 8,000 competitors, will now take place on Saturday 7 June.
The ISC would like to thank the Royal Southern Yacht Club for changing the date of their early June regatta to accommodate the revised date. The decision has been taken after considerable consultation with local organisations and authorities, and will ensure a smooth and enjoyable Round the Island Race for competitors, visitors, local businesses and residents alike.
Dave Atkinson, Race Director of the Round the Island Race explains: “The famous 50nm course around the Isle of Wight is an all-encompassing event and has been proudly run by the ISC since 1931. The Race’s unique ‘Race for All’ ethos caters for and embraces first-timers, families, amateurs and professionals competing side-by-side on the same racetrack.
“To be able to run the race we require certain tidal conditions which only occur on a few days in the racing season. We therefore publish the Race dates at least three years in advance to enable the various port authorities, supporting partners, safety teams, shoreside agencies, volunteers and other event organisers to plan accordingly. Any change, of course, has a significant impact on these organisations, and we are grateful for their understanding and support, particularly the port authorities who will now need to rearrange the early morning closure of the Central Solent area to commercial traffic for the revised date.
“We also recognise the importance of both events to the Island economy and look forward to constructive discussions with the Isle of Wight Festival and local authorities to avoid this situation occurring in the future. In the meantime, we continue with the organisation of next year’s event, and look forward to seeing you on the start line on the 7 June.”
