The ‘Round the Island’ Offshore Powerboat Race will take place this Saturday (3rd May), marking the opening round of the 2025 UKOPRA Offshore Championship.
Up to 16 teams from across the UK and Sweden will compete for the Classes 1, 1L, 2, and 3 titles around the 60-mile coastline of the Isle of Wight.
This year, teams will be based at Boatfolk’s East Cowes Marina on the River Medina.
Last year, Rob Lockyer set a new circumnavigation record in his 50ft Outerlimits hull ‘Good Boy Vodka’ with a staggering average speed of 118.04mph, completing the course in just 30 minutes and 18 seconds. It remains to be seen if this record will be broken in 2025.
The Isle of Wight will be led by the Class 3E team ‘Mango Crazy’, crewed by Seaview publican Peter Hall and friend Terry Parsons. After finishing as runners-up in every race last season, they are looking to go one better this year. With the 2024 Class 3E champions ‘Thunderstreak’ having retired, ‘Mango Crazy’ is tipped as one of the favourites for the title.
The start line and muster area will be located off East Lepe Buoy, opposite Gurnard. Teams are expected to take the green flag at around 14:00 and will race in an anti-clockwise direction around the Isle of Wight.
Timetable for Spectators:
Friday 2nd May
- 12:00 – 18:00 – Scrutineering – East Cowes Marina
Saturday 3rd May
- 13:00 – Boats leave East Cowes Marina for the Muster Area, Solent.
- 14:00 – Race start (East Lepe Bouy)
- 18:00 – Podium presentations East Cowes Marina..
Best race viewing vantage points include: The Lifeboat Pub, Yarmouth Pier, Fort Victoria or Hurst Castle, The Needles, St Catherine’s Lighthouse, Ryde Pier, Egypt Point
Spectator boats near the rolling start area are advised to stay north of an imaginary line between East Lepe and West Lepe Buoys for safety and to ensure a clean start for racers.
Makes a change than Numpty’s speeding on
Island Roads, there is something about the island
when it comes to speeding!
Lol
Droning it from St Lawrence 🙂