J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race gets underway
by Rupert Holmes on 27 Jun 2015
Pictured at the start this morning, Sir Keith Mills, winner of the Gold Roman Bowl in 2013, is among the leaders in his new Ker 40 Invictus. Patrick Eden
J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race - All classes have now started on schedule and the front-runners, led by Leopard and the MOD70 trimaran rounded the Needles just before 0830, followed closely by the diminutive GC32 foiling catamarans.
They are now powering down the island’s south-west coast at speeds exceeding 15 knots and are predicted to reach St Catherine’s Point shortly after 0900. They will be led by the multihulls, which have already overtaken Leopard. The fleet is therefore stretching almost halfway around the Isle of Wight’s 50-mile coastline, making a stunning view from the many vantage points around the course.
While the biggest and fastest yachts, as well as those who achieve a good corrected time on handicap tend to get the bulk of the limelight, there’s no doubt that the some of the best fun – and sense of achievement – is to be found among the many hundreds of smaller and medium sized cruising oriented yachts that compete each year.
These are still in the Solent, where the wind has already increased to a perfect 15-16 knots. Cloud is already building over the mainland shore, indicating we can expect thermal enhancement of the wind during the day. This is expected to peak at around 23 knots, while competitors will enjoy the best of the day’s sun, which will be over the water.
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