Round the Island Race preview

by Peta Stuart-Hunt on 2 Mar 2012 J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, organised by the Island Sailing Club (ISC), is being held on Saturday 30th June 2012.

There are some fabulous goodies to be won in the Race Draw if you attend one of their free South Coast, UK, Race Seminars in March:

• A Volvo XC90 for the weekend, donated by Volvo Car UK
• Raymarine Handheld 101E Radio, donated by Raymarine
• £250 worth of Henri Lloyd Ainslie GBR3 products, donated by Henri Lloyd
• Two signed books from Dame Ellen MacArthur, donated by the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust
• A large Henri Lloyd Jacket, donated by Haven Knox-Johnston

To secure your place on either Saturday 17th March 2pm at the Royal Southampton Yacht Club or Saturday 24th March 6pm at the Royal Lymington Yacht Club, register here without delay.

There was an influx of Early Bird entries for this year’s Race and the tally currently stands at 655 with hundreds more to come.

Standard Entry closes at midnight on 2nd June.

In 1995, yachtsman Hugh Morrison hired J Class Management to help him create a modern classic. He was inspired by the J Class sloops, William Fife and a number of other beautiful old yachts, but wanted a boat under 100ft long. J Class Management selected Pedrick Yacht Designs in Newport, Rhode Island, for hull and rig design, and John Munford Design in Southampton for interior styling. J Class, Pedrick, Munford and Hugh worked as a team to create the 90ft Savannah. Shortly after her launch in 1997, Savannah won ShowBoats International's 'Best Sailing Yacht' award. Savannah has sailed and triumphed in many regattas since then. We can't wait to see her in action on June 30th.

It is always exciting to see new faces and names entering the Race and there is a noticeable number of international first timers already in the system this year including Outrageous, a Swan 47 from Switzerland, Falcon a 1930s classic crewed by first timers from the Netherlands and Robert Holden and the team on Shenanigans competing in their first ever race and hoping to scoop up the JPMAM Family Trophy into the bargain.

Windhover, an Arcona 430, is a brand new fast performance cruiser, launched in January 2012. The crew is made up of sailing friends from England, Ireland, Canada and the Netherlands.

Also racing for the first time is Lulubelle, a 1973 Macwester, still in refit at present. Owner Steve Harvey, from Leatherhead in Surrey, says he is 'feeling very apprehensive, but excited at the same time!'

If you're racing this year and are anywhere in the vicinity of Black Diamond, owned by Greg Dunn, you may just think you've turned up in France instead of Cowes. One of the crew is an Accordian player who is aiming to play his way around the Island.

Richard Wagner’s Whistling Maid is one of the last in a series of 32 Carbineers to be built. The Laurent Giles design won acclaim when it first appeared in 1969 as a deck saloon ketch rigged motor sailer with aft cockpit and internal steering. Whistling Maid has recently undergone an extensive refit and restoration having been left ashore in Rhode Island unattended for many years. Her new home will be Poole in Dorset where the refit was carried out.

Hampshire High Sheriff Hallam Mills has challenged Nick Hayward, the High Sheriff of the Isle of Wight, to a race-within-a race whereby the slowest of the pair on corrected time must pay a fine to the other’s charity. Hallam is racing on board the well-rated Nordic Folkboat Ayesha, whilst Nick is currently looking for something ‘larger’ to compete in.

David Aisher’s Thalia and Gipsy Moth V are returning to compete in the Race this year, as are three boats racing for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, the official Race charity.

Past winner (and past capsizer!) Harvey Bowden is back on his Firebird 8M Orion and Tim Cork, who has entered a staggering 30 times is racing on Catch 22, hoping to beat his own third place record.

Henri Lloyd is proud to be associated with Britain’s favourite yacht race. In recognition of Henri Lloyd's Race Partnership and commitment, the company has bestowed upon the Island Sailing Club a new Henri Lloyd Challenge Trophy for the competitor that takes Line Honours within the ISCRS Class. This striking hand-made open sail sculpture, presented on a mahogany base, will be awarded together with £400 worth of Henri Lloyd vouchers.

The Race website's Knowledge Box series continues this month with contributions from Race Partners Britannia Corporate Events on Chartering from March 9th, followed by Haven Knox-Johnston on Insurance matters from March 30th.
Round the Island Race website