Photo credit - Patrick Eden
Entries closed at midnight on May 29th and The Island Sailing Club has now processed just over 1,470 entries.
For those entering there is the chance to race against the record holder Francis Joyon and his big red Trimaran Idec II. They will be back on the start line and hoping to beat their own unbroken record of 3.08.29, set in 2001.
At 30 metres in length Idec II weighs only 11 tons with a mast height of 32 metres. Francis entered her again last year, coming in 26th overall with a time of 7.46.10. He is hoping for better winds and a much faster time this year and says that he keeps returning to this Race because he has many sailing friends who also do it and he finds racing in the Solent ‘exotic’.
Francis will be raising funds for ICM, l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière (the Institute for Brain and Spinal Cord research).
Two Extreme 40s have signed up to race around the Island. The Race organisers are delighted to welcome back Mike Golding and Ecover. Mike Golding has consistently been at the forefront of the professional IMOCA Open 60 class. His crew will include the Team GBR former Tornado pairing of Will Howden and Leigh McMillan. Ecover was placed 4th in the first round of the Extreme 40 Sailing Series held in Sete, France at the end of May. Next round of the Series will take place at Cowes during Cowes Week.