Round the Island Race 2021- preview

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image of Pata Negra Lombard 46 photo credit RORC
Pata Negra Lombard 46 photo credit RORC

 

The 90th anniversary of the iconic Round the Island Race will place on 3rd July 2021 and see the 1169 yachts registered to enter, battle it out on the 50 circumvention of the Isle of Wight.

 

The annual Round the Island Race, organised by the Island Sailing Club, is a one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight and starts from the Squadron line at Cowes.

 

image of Lendy Cowes Week 2018 Royal Yacht Squadron Cowes
Start line
Royal Yacht Squadron Cowes

From the start off Cowes the yachts sail westwards down the Solent 

image of RTI
yachts contest every inch photo credit Paul Wyeth

They sail past Hurst Castle, built by King Henry VIII around 1544 on Hurst Spit near Lymington on the mainland.

It was only decommissioned by the military in 1956 and is now administered by English Heritage.

RTI Hurst Caslte
Hurst Castle photo Paul Wyeth

The yachts turn on reaching the Needles lighthouse and head south east along the southern side of the IOW.

image of the Needles
yachts round the Needles IOW photo credit Paul Wyeth

Hosted by the Island Sailing Club , sponsors include Dame Ellen MacArthur is calling on Round the Island Race sailors to inspire young people to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer. 

The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is once again the official charity of this years Round the Island Race. 

RTI St Catherine's Point
Yachts round the most south point of the IOW- St Catherine’s Point photo credit Paul Wyeth

The race has attracted over 1,100 entrants this year, and well over 10,000 sailors, making it one of the largest yacht races in the world and the fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK after the London Marathon and the Great North and South Runs.

 

RTI Forts
Yachts past the Forts at the eastern end of the Solent and the final stretch back up to Cowes. photo credit Paul Wyeth

And finally back to Cowes where we might see Magenta in the press boat.

image of Magenta Edwards the-news.co's culture and arts editor against a backdrop of the starting line at the RYS Cowes
Magenta Edwards the-news.co’s culture and arts editor against a backdrop of the starting line at the RYS Cowes

 

https://www.islandsc.org.uk/

https://yachtingnews.uk/2015/06/28/9529/

 

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