Round the Island Race

The Round the Island Race 2008, seen from the viewpoint at Blackgang, viewed north-west towards the Needles.
Yachts participating in the 2010 event.

The Round the Island Race is an annual yacht race around the Isle of Wight. It starts and finishes in Cowes, and is organised by the Island Sailing Club. The course is about 50 nautical miles (93 km) long.[1] It was first held in 1931[2][3] and since 2005 has been sponsored by JP Morgan Asset Management. The race is generally chosen to be the Saturday in June with the most favourable tides; a date in late May or early July may be chosen if there is no suitable date in June.

History

The race was the idea of Major Cyril Windeler, who commissioned a gold Roman-style bowl as prize for the winner.[2] The first race, in 1931, had 25 entries.[3] The silver bowl second prize was introduced a few years later when Chris Ratsey impressed Windeler with his good sportsmanship.[2] The last race before World War II, in 1939, attracted 80 entries.[2]

In 2005 JP Morgan Asset Management began sponsorship of the event in a deal lasting until 2010. This sponsorship was later extended to 2014.[4]

In 2008 a total of 1750 boats took part.[5]

Course

The course runs all the way round the Isle of Wight.

The course runs all the way around the Isle of Wight, with a total distance of 50.1 nmi (92.8 km).[6]

The course has varied slightly with buoys tried at the Needles and a requirement to leave No Man's Land Fort to port.

Race record

Multihull/outright race record

It was in 1961 that multihulls first entered the round the island race and the record has since fallen considerably.

Year Time Boat Type Boat Name Crew Ref
2016 2 h 23 m 23 s MOD 70 Phaedo^3 Lloyd Thornburg
2013 2 h 52 m 15 s AC45 catamaran J.P.Morgan BAR Ben Ainslie, helm/skipper [7]
2001 3 h 08 m 60 ft trimaran Dexia Eure et Loire Francis Joyon, skipper
Rodney Pattison, navigator		 [8]
1986 3 h 05 m 60 ft trimaran Paragon Mike Whipp
Rodney Pattison
1985 4 h 04 m Nigel Irens 60 ft trimaran Apricot Tony Bullimore
1963 5 h 50 m Catamaran Snowgoose of Wight Don Robertson
1961 6 h 00 m Catamaran Snowgoose of Wight Don Robertson
1932–1960 Various Monohulls
1931 9 h 51 m Monohull Thomas White Ratsey

Monohull race record

Year 2006 Time 3 h 20 m 9 s Boat Type 98 ft Super Maxi Boat Name ICAP Maximus Crew Bill Buckley, Charles, St Clair Brown, Harold Cudmore Ref http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/ICAP-Maximus-sets-new-Round-the-Island-race-record/26349?source=google.co.nz
2013 3 h 43 m 50 s 100 ft Farr design canting keel ICAP Leopard Mike Slade [9]
2008 3 h 53 m 100 ft Farr design canting keel ICAP Leopard Mike Slade [9]
2001 Reichel Pugh 92 ft maxi Skandia Life Leopard Mike Slade
1931 9 h 51 m Thomas White Ratsey

Outright record

The outright record as recognised by the World Speed Sailing Record Council on behalf of International Sailing Federation has in the past also been the race record.

Year Time Boat Type Boat Name Crew Notes and Ref
June 2017 1 h 17 m 17 s Catamaran Red Jet 6 Howard Ray

Casey Sheargold

Ben Candy
August 2012 2 h 21 m 25 s MOD 70 Foncia Michel Desjoyeaux Set during Cowes Week[10]
November 2001 2 h 33 m 55 s Catamaran PlayStation Steve Fossett, skipper

Stan Honey, navigator

 Standalone record attempt[11]
June 2001 3 h 08 m 60 ft trimaran Dexia Eure et Loire Francis Joyon, skipper
Rodney Pattison, navigator 		Set during round the island race[8]
1994 3 h 35 m Trimaran Lakota Steve Fossett, skipper Set during round the island race[8]

References

  1. ↑ Fisher, Bob (20 June 2009). "Round The Island Race proves frustratingly slow going". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Neville, By Martin (20 May 2011). "Round the Island in 80 years". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 Ayles, James (26 June 2015). "Get set for popular Round the Island race". The News. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
  4. ↑ "J.P. Morgan Asset Management extends race title sponsorship to 2014". Cowes: Round the Island website. Retrieved 15 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Rotarians to rescue in race capsize". Isle of Wight County Press. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  6. ↑ "Round the Island Race – The Course". Round the Island Race. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  7. ↑ "Race Record Broken". BAR Racing. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  8. 1 2 3 http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk/web/pubs/2011/RIR11-ExhibitionBrochure.pdf
  9. 1 2 "Race Record Broken". Round the Island Race Event Media. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  10. ↑ "Passage Records". World Speed Sailing Record Council. Retrieved 1 June 2013.
  11. ↑ http://www.sailing.org/news/14339.php
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