Round the Island Race

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. It was first held in 1931 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.

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

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

In 2008 a total of 1750 boats took part.

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

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

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

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.

Stan Honey, navigator

Some of the 1700 boats in the 2010 Round the Island Race.

Yachts flying spinnakers during the 2010 race

The fleet rounding St. Catherine's Lighthouse in 2009

The 2009 race, with yachts seen racing off The Needles

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