Isle of Wight - Round the Island

[Eleven]

A good breezy day, and a 5am start, got most of the 1700 competing yachts home before sunset.
First in, IDEC, Francis Joyon's multihull completed the course in four and a half hours, way off her course record of 3hrs 8m29s. Four Extreme 40's followed her home, the famous Ecover being the last of the four.
The crews were somewhat put out to find that the pubs weren't open for their victories, and the defeat of all the mono's, to be celebrated for a couple of hours yet.
First mono, (they point better, don't you know) was ICAP Leopard, complaining gently about being snagged by a lobster pot for 2hrs. Disappointed too, that there was nothing in the basket!
Best Bridgedeck Multi was Coco de Mer, a Gunboat 66 skippered by Angus Ball. They closed on the Class 0 yachts that started some ten minutes earlier in a lively run.
Next year is the 80th race, on the 25th June. An event not to be missed, and open to all. Weather here is not too bad at that time of year. If your working on next years itenerary then COWES WEEK, the Cornish Fishing Ports, Helston's 'Pirate' river, and the Channel Islands and the French Coast are will make afor a busy few months before retiring to the med for the Winter (not recommended for the UK).
Of the 1700 competing boats sailing fast, with others, was the theme for most. Protests? Why, when you're having such a great time. I hope there weren't too many but a racer usually carries a rule book, just to make up for his lack of sense of humour.

More details and links available on Isle of Wight News: Island Pulse: Community Local News Online
Official stuff on www.roundtheisland.org.uk