(Cowes, Isle of Wight, England)- Hold on to your hats, bloomers and
knickers! This coming weekend the annual JP Morgan Asset Management
Round the Island Race, organized by the Island Sailing Club is taking
place. The one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight, an island
situated off the south coast of England, attracts over 1,700 boats and
around 16,000 sailors-- making it one of the largest yacht races in the
world and the fourth largest participation sporting event in the United
Kingdom after the London Marathon and the Great North & South Runs
(in other words, more sailors participate than any of the famous
Harrod's department store sales in downtown London!).Competitors come from all over the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe and as far away as America to sail the 50nm course round the Isle of Wight. Starting on the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, the fleet races "westabout" to The Needles, round St Catherine's Point and Bembridge Ledge buoy and back into the Solent to the finish line at Cowes.
Since 1990, the J's have always been factor in this famous race, often winning class or overall. It attracts the famous and not so famous and that's what's so fun about sailing the original "100 Guinea Cup" race course (e.g. the original infamous regatta where the yacht AMERICA "stole" the silver cup, took it home and renamed it the "America's Cup"-- using an entirely professional crew of sailors-- as our English sailing friends might say, "that's not cricket!").
The fourteen boat IRC Sportsboat class has two J/70s and six J/80s sailing, all vying for "max speed, terminal velocity" on the largest breaking comber off the infamous St Catherine's Point bell.
Good luck to all! Fair winds, clear skies and fair tide! For more Round The Island Race sailing information
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