Kicked off by Olympic 470 sailor Hannah Mills, the 81st J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race started from the Royal Yacht Squadron line, attended by more than 1,600 yachts sailing in a westerly direction round the Isle of Wight.
The French Multi 50 trimaran yacht Actual bears off for maximum speed around the Needles, eventually taking line honours in today’s J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race. Photo: onEdition
The wind conditions are as forecast with most of the fleets starting in a moderate south-westerly breeze. However, the forecast is for the wind to increase, with the predicted conditions having already put paid to racing for some of the smaller classes including sportsboats, J80s, 707s, SB20s (formerly known as SB3s) and the small MOCRA multihull fleet (LOA less than 9.15m).
There was also a safety call made for all competitors to wear lifejackets.
The likes of Mike Slade’s 100ft Farr-designed charter yacht ICAP Leopard revelled in the conditions and soon slotted in to her natural position at the head of the fleet. She led the fleet round the Needles but was soon challenged by last year’s line honours winner, Lionel Lemonchois and team on the Multi 50 Prince de Bretagne. However, first across the line at 10.19.57, just over one minute outside the overall record, finishing in 3hrs.09mins and 57secs, was former Mini Transat winner Yves Le Blevec on the Multi 50 trimaran yacht Actual.
Elsewhere the fleet are battling the strong winds round the south of the island and as the day progresses there are a number of retirements. However, it is great to see the likes of Dame Ellen MacArthur on the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust’s boat Dark Star, which is a 90ft sloop loaned to the Trust for the day. She is currently the leading yacht in the Trust’s four-boat fleet.
Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie at the helm of the 162ft sailing yacht Eleonora E (ex Eleonora), is now round St Catherine’s Point and enjoying a final blast home to the finish.
Race Partners 2012 are Britannia Events, Haven Knox-Johnston, Henri Lloyd, Nautica Watches, Old Pulteney Whisky, Raymarine, Red Funnel, Small Luxury Hotels of the World & Volvo Car UK.
