The excitement is building for the world-famous Round the Island Race next Saturday (15th June). It’s both a prestigious and a challenging race and regularly attracts a diverse range of sailors from Olympians and professional race teams to keen amateurs and groups of families ready to enjoy a cracking day out on the water. All fleets follow the same 50 nautical miles course which circumnavigates the Isle of Wight in an anti-clockwise direction. Starting on the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes at 06:00, the fleet race westabout to The Needles, pass St Catherine’s Point, round Bembridge Ledge buoy, and back into the Solent to the finish line at Cowes. There are many excellent vantage points on the Island shoreline including the start in Cowes, The Needles, Chilton Chine, St Catherine’s Point, Ventnor and Ryde Pier. On the mainland shore – Hurst Point and Gilkicker Point are great spots. A Spectator Guide on the event website provides details of all the shoreside activities and a handy map, with a table of times at which the boats will pass different points during the race. Dave Atkinson, Race Director said:
“We are looking forward to welcoming boats from all over the World to the 87th edition of the race. The Race Team wish all the competitors a very enjoyable day on the racetrack and a fun time in the Official Hospitality Venue on The Parade, which is open to everyone. “With the long-range forecast looking favourable for the race I’m sure there will be many of the boats planning strategies to beat their own personal records and secure one or more of the 100+ trophies.”
This year, the Race Team and the Island Sailing Club (ISC) are staging an Official Hospitality Venue on The Parade in Cowes. It’s free to enter, everyone is welcome, and it will be open throughout the race weekend from 14:00 on Friday 14 June to Sunday 16th June evening. This shoreside venue will be the best place to enjoy the buzz of the race, meet up with friends over a few drinks and enjoy the live music. 
The time of the winner is certain to increase every year. Not due to cutting edge technology, but the fact our Island grows ever smaller each year.
Lucky more people aren’t coming here to live to escape areas that they now feel the outsider in.
Best vote Reform. Won’t enlarge the Island but it may prevent us becoming Lemmings
Methinks you are the Reform lemming Jed.
I thought minority groups such as Reform currently is were to be fawned over nowadays? Perhaps that only applies to outsiders who , in media blinkered eyes can do no wrong.
Politics not needed
By your logic the winner’s time should decrease, but, hey, that’s Reform thinking!
What the hell does this have to do with anything?! A desperate plea?