News - 27/06/19

Sailors from around the world will be competing in the famous ‘Round the Island Race’ that will see over 1,200 boats sail around the Isle of Wight on Saturday, 29th June.

This unique race is popular with families, first time racers and professional sailors alike with Olympic class sailors competing alongside many family crewed boats in all variety of craft, ancient and modern. 

The starting sequence comprises 11 starts and it takes an hour and 40 minutes to get the entire fleet of boats safely underway. Participating sailors will experience sailing around the Isle of Wight, enjoying iconic views of the fleet and coastal scenery, with the first start n Cowes at 0730 and ending back in Cowes with the leading competitors probably taking under four hours to complete the course.

The Onboard Race Pack for the 2019 Round the Island Race contains all the documentation competitors need on Race Day, including the Sailing Instructions, Layman’s Guide to the Racing Rules and Declaration and Tracking instructions.

Please remember to also read the RTI Safety Book well before the race. It contains important information that all competitors should be aware of to make sure there is a safe race for everyone taking part. Additionally, Cowes Local Notice to Mariners No. 17(T) of 2019, issued jointly by the Queen’s Harbour Master Portsmouth, the ABP Southampton Harbour Master and the Cowes Harbour Master, contains essential information on traffic restrictions in the Central Solent.

During the race, spectators watching from the shore and from around the world will be able to follow the progress of friends and family via the race tracking service on the event website.

This year, the Island Sailing Club has announced the introduction of an Official Race Village for the Round the Island Race, located on The Parade in Cowes. This will have have a full entertainment schedule featuring live music every day, as well as a bar, food stands, and stands from race partners Helly Hansen, Raymarine and Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.

The new Race Village will also host the Raymarine Weather Briefing at 1800 on Friday, 28th June, as well as the official prize giving ceremony on Sunday 30th, at 1200.

Top photo: Round the Island Race start 2017. © Paul Wyeth