Round the Island Race - a Wild Ride

Cowes, UK - The crowds and contenders of the JPMorgan Round the Island Race saw some incredibly exciting sailing action this year. No less than four boats were dismasted (one by Hugo Boss, which was later disqualified), at least one boat sank, there were at least 11 MOB's, five injuries (one requiring airlift - the sailor is reported to be out of danger), and five hard groundings. One of the most popular sporting events in the UK for participation, over 13,000 sailors (yes, thirteen thousand!) were reported to be out on the 50 mile sailing course round the Isle of Wight. Considering these numbers, so few serious problems are a testament to the skills of the sailors on the water.

 

The Round the Island race course started at the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, where the huge fleet, including former America's Cup boat Sceptre, skippered by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, sailed west to the Needles. The course then rounded St Catherine's Point and the Bembridge Ledge buoy, where visibility was miserable and conditions described as "grim, hairy, wild, lumpy and on the edge." As the first yachts sailed back into the Solent, the weather began to improve. Most would agree that these are some of the UK's finest sailing waters, and with the mix of all-stars and weekend warriors in the line up at this year's event, there was some truly exciting racing action on the sailing course.

 

Competitor in the upcoming Vendee Globe, Alex Thomson was joined for this years Round the Island Race with 3-time Olympic medallist Ben Ainslie, and Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton on the stylish Open 60 yacht Hugo Boss. Style was the least of the crew's concern, however, when a nasty pre-race collision between Hugo Boss and Atomic resulted in damage to the open 60 sailboat's bowsprit, and actually dismasted Atomic. Hugo Boss continued on racing around the Isle of Wight however, in fact leading the class across the finish line. The feeling of victory was short-lived for the crew of Hugo Boss, though, who were then disqualified for the earlier accident.

 

 

 

 

After the disqualification of Hugo Boss, the winner of the Open 60 class in the Round the Island Race was another competitor in the upcoming Vendee Globe: Mike Golding on the yacht Ecover. Following Ecover over the line was the yacht Artemis, with YachtPal Dee Caffari with her smiling crew on Aviva rounding out the podium.

 

Dame Ellen MacArthur and the the Extreme 40 catamarans crossed the start line ten minutes after the Open 60 sailboats. Dame Ellen MacArthur (BT), Olympian Shirley Robertson (JPMorgan Asset Management), Rob Greenhalgh (Team Origin), Chris Draper (Oman Sails), and Johnnie Hutchcroft (Volvo Ocean Race), were all looking good over the line. In 2007 MacArthur was the first skipper home in this race, and took line honors. Unfortunately this year's race held some surprises for the sailing team of the Extreme 40 catamaran BT. Ellen Macarthur and crew snapped a main halyard and retired from the Round the Island Race at just 0705 local time, limping back home to Cowes under jib alone.

 

Ellen commented: "This really is a great shame as things were going well until it happened. We were in a comfortable position in the fleet, among the other Extreme 40s and ICAP Leopard. Then between Hurst Narrows and the Needles, we heard a massive bang, looked up and saw that the main halyard had snapped. We are obviously extremely disappointed as we felt we had prepared the boat well for this race and the halyard had only been changed recently. However, everyone onboard the BT Extreme 40 - including Peter Morgan, BT's Group Communications Director and journalist Tim Jeffery - enjoyed the racing this morning and we managed to get safely back to Cowes under jib."

 

Rob Greenhalgh was first home in the Round the Island Race at the helm of the Extreme 40 catamaran TeamOrigin. Rob said: "We had a fantastic day. The sailing was fast and hairy. We were on the upper limit. There was only a quarter mile visibility between The Needles and St Catherine's and we don't get the opportunity, on this type of boat, to look at any sophisticated navigation instruments. This is a great result to add to our current leading position in the iShares Cup. We will be back for the beginning of Skandia Cowes Week to compete in the next round."

 

 

At the top of the handicap ratings at this year's Round the Island Race was the 99 foot super-maxi yacht ICAP Leopard. In addition to breaking the transatlantic record (for yachts with power assisted winches) earlier this year, the crew of ICAP Leopard hardly had time to rest from their record at the Round Ireland race before sailing to Cowes for this event. This didn't seem to effect the crew of the ICAP Leopard however, who sailed around the Isle to break their previous record for the race.

 

"Well, it's awful having to get up in the middle of the night in order to beat our own record!" said Mike Slade of ICAP Leopard. "Round the back of the Island we couldn't see far, but then we came round the eastern end and the sun came out. From there it was a wonderful trip home in the sunshine. The record looked touch and go on our way home, but we didn't know how many tacks it would take to make the finish line. I am delighted we have knocked 12 minutes off the WSSRC circumnavigation of the Island record."

 

 

ICAP Leopard sailing in the Round the Island Race.

 

 

JPMORGAN ASSET MANAGEMENT ROUND THE ISLAND RACE
Saturday 28th June 2008: Cowes, Isle of Wight
Principal trophy winners

OBSERVER TROPHY & JPMAM SALVER - First Monohull to finish
ICAP LEOPARD Michael Slade (Southampton)

GOLD ROMAN BOWL & JPMAM SALVER - First Overall IRC
RAN Robert Swann (Abingdon, Oxon)

SILVER ROMAN BOWL & JPMAM SALVER - Second Overall IRC
MADELAINE Edward Donald (Winchester)

ROYAL THAMES CHALLENGE TROPHY & JPMAM SALVER - Third Overall
H LLOYD CUTTING EDGE Stacey Clark (Yately, Hants)

JPMORGAN TROPHY - First Overall IRC Group 0
RAN Robert Swann (Abingdon, Oxon)

VAPHIO CUP - First Overall IRC Group 1
ERIVALE III Michael Greville (Cowes, Isle of Wight)

YEOMAN CHALLENGE TROPHY - First Overall IRC Group 2
FULL PELT Stephen Fein (Cowes, Isle of Wight)

CHAMPAGNE MUMM CHALLENGE CUP - First Overall IRC Group 3
MADELAINE Edward Donald (Winchester, Hants)

METHUSELAH TROPHY - Winning Team in IRC Groups 0 & 1
Royal Thames Yacht Club (CHERNIKEEFF 2, ZANA, ICAP LEOPARD)

JEROBOAM TROPHY - Winning Team in IRC Group 2
Royal Lymington Yacht Club (ZARAFA, BRIGHTWORK, NO DOUBT)

JEROBOAM TROPHY - Winning Team in IRC Group 3
Royal Lymington Yacht Club (SUNDOWNER, WHITE MISCHIEF, CLOUD NINE)

SILVER GILT ROMAN BOWL & JPMAM SALVER - First Overall ISCRS
ANTILOPE Willem Wester (Rollie, Switzerland)

FIDELIS TROPHY - Second Overall ISC Rating System
TWILIGHT Patrick Moreton (Cowes, Isle of Wight)

GEISCO TROPHY - Third Overall ISC Rating System
MARBELLA Mark Taylor (Chichester, West Sussex)

CRANKSHAW BOWL - O/A Winner ISCRS Grp 4
ANTILOPE Willem Wester (Rollie, Switzerland)

JIMMIE READ MEMORIAL CUP - O/A Winner ISCRS Grp 5
CANDIDA Roger Granger (Freshwater,IOW)

FEDALAH CHALLENGE TROPHY - O/A Winner ISCRS Grp 6
SOLMATE Chris Blackburn (Poole, Dorset)

SPREAD EAGLE TROPHY - O/A Winner ISCRS Grp 7
IGILANT William Norris (Fordingbridge, Hants)

TRAFALGAR 200 TROPHY - O/A Winner ISCRS Grp 8
TWILIGHT Patrick Moreton (Cowes, Isle of Wight)

ARUN YACHT CLUB TEAM TROPHY - Winning ISC Rating System Team
Arun Yacht Club (Light Brigade) (SOOPER TROOPER, DEDICATED DANCER, SCAMPI)

LLOYDS BANK TROPHY - First ISC Rating Sys boat to finish
ANTILOPE Willem Wester (Rollie, Switzerland)

GOLDEN MILLER CHALLENGE CUP - Overall Winner GP/MOCRA M'hull
CARBON TIGER 2 Brian Haynes (Maidenhead, Berks)

HOYA TROPHY - 1st Bridgedeck Catamaran Cruiser on corrected
MAILYS Ian Day (New Milton, Hants)

DEAN & REDDYHOFF TROPHY - 1st Multihull GP on corrected time
BUZZ Phil Cotton (Poole, Dorset)

FREEDOM CHALLENGE BOWL - First GP/MOCRA Multihull to finish
MUSANDAM Loik Gallon (East Cowes, IOW)

BRITANNIA CORPORATE EVENTS TROPHY - First Beneteau 40.7
INCOGNITO Paul McNamara (Chichester, W Sussex)

RENAISSANCE TROPHY - Classic Racing Yachts
FAFNIR Philippa Litton ( Sturminster Newton, Dorset)

COLUMBIA CUP - First Extreme 40
TEAMORIGIN Keith Mills (London)

DISCOVERY TROPHY - First 'Modern' Gaffer on corrected time
PORTHILLY DREAMER George Dibben (Lyndhurst, Hants)

TURBO UK CUP - First Hunter 707
THE ANT HILL MOB Russell Mead (Fareham, Hants)

LASER TROPHY - First Laser SB3
EDIGITALRESEARCH.COM Charlie Russell Alec Russell (Winchester)

SONATA SALVER - First Sonata
PICCOLO John Putt (Trowbridge, Wilts)

LOMBARD MARINE FINANCE CHALLENGE TROPHY - First Open 60
ECOVER 3 Mike Golding (Southampton)

ELEPHANT TROPHY - First IRC Quarter Tonner on elapsed time
CATCH Darren Marston (Southampton)

EDWARD HEATH TROPHY - First Sportsboat on corrected time
BERTIE Simon Barter (Macclesfield, Cheshire)

NAUTICA WATCHES CHALLENGE TROPHY - First J/80
JIROLAMO Louis Kenna (Croydon, Surrey)

JPMAM FAMILY TROPHY - First family crewed boat
ANTILOPE Willem and Heleen Wester, Minka and Emily

 

- KH / Photos Onedition

 

Read more about Round the Island Race.

 

 

Round the Island Race Video 1: Onboard the yacht Circus in the JP Morgan Round the Island Yacht Race.

 

 

Round the Island Race Video 2: Onboard video from Round the Island Race. Skip Watney and crew battle it out on the back of the island.

 

 

Round the Island Race Video 3: Round the Island Race Sailors

Submitted By YachtPals on 29 Jun

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