Rossborough Round the Island Race - Preview

Rossborough Round the Island Race start © Simon Ropert

The Royal Channel Islands Yacht Club's annual 'Rossborough Round the Island Race' 2019 is open for entries.

Scheduled for Sunday 4th August, this will be the fourth race under the Rossborough Insurance banner. Dating back to at least 1931, the race is open to local and visiting boats, alike, in the sportsboat, cruiser/racer and sports catamaran classes. This free-to-enter classic event invariably draws one of the highest number of entries in the Island's racing calendar with the cruiser/racers being accommodated in both IRC and RYA NHC classes.

Rossborough Group Managing Director, James Anderson, said, "We're very proud to be sponsoring this long-standing and prestigious event for the fourth consecutive year. The well-established heritage of the race resonates with us at Rossborough as we have also been serving the Island's community for more than 80 years. We're very much looking forward to another fantastic event and would encourage everyone to get involved, whether racing or just spectating."

RCIYC Commodore Richard Hall said: "This race is among the most renowned in the Island's racing calendar. It is a real delight to have the continued sponsorship of such a respected Island business with equally considerable heritage. Such support truly adds to the prestige, attraction and excitement of the event."

Starting in St Aubin's Bay at 0800, the fleet will head eastwards to the Violet Channel Buoy, off the southeast corner of Jersey, for an anti-clockwise circumnavigation of the Island before returning to St Aubin's Bay for the finish. Given a good breeze, it is anticipated that the F18s of the sport catamaran fleet should finish in under four hours (the record, in recent years, stands at a three hours and seven minutes).

There are prizes and trophies to be won, across the board; boats racing in the IRC cruiser/racer classes will be in with a chance of winning the Club's prestigious Jesse Boot and Cabot Memorial trophies. As ever, the day will conclude with the prize-giving in the Clubhouse, followed by supper.

The Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions are available on www.rciyc.je. Boats may enter by completing the online entry form located at: www.rciyc.eventbrite.co.uk. Please note that the closing date for entries is Wednesday 31 July.

Further information is available from the club administrator, call 00 44 (0)1534 745783 or email

Hobie 565 and Smurf at the Diamond buoy, Violet Channel buoy bound during the Rossborough Round the Island Race - photo © Andy Broadhurst