Round the Island Race

Strong competition

Great sailing conditions

With family and friends

When:

Where:

The annual Round the Island Race, organised by the Island Sailing Club, is a one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight, an island situated off the south coast of England. The race regularly attracts over 1,200 boats and around 10,000 sailors, making it one of the largest yacht races in the world and the fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK after the London Marathon and the Great North and South Runs.

Competitors come from all over the UK and worldwide to follow the 50 nautical mile course round the Isle of Wight. Starting on the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, the fleet races westabout, to The Needles, round St Catherine’s Point and Bembridge Ledge buoy, and back into the Solent to the finish line at Cowes.

Spectators can find many vantage points, both on the mainland and the Isle of Wight, to watch the race progress. Those who cannot get to watch in person can always keep an eye on the race’s progress on the website, social media and our boat tracking facility.

Event ratings

Fun ♥♥♥♥
Race ♥♥♥
Venue(s) ♥♥
Adventure ♥

Contact information

Representative: The Island Sailing Club Race Team

Phone: +44 1983 296621

Website: Visit website

Email: rir@islandsc.org.uk

Event highlights

The countdown is on for the iconic Round the Island Race. Make sure you’re on the start line.

The fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK.Round the Island Race has grown to become one of sailing’s most iconic annual events globally.
Competitors come from all over the world to take on the circular 50 nautical-mile course.
1700 boats
Nearly 200 prizes are awarded for the event, with boats of every shape and size competing to win individual class and overall trophies.
Spectators can enjoy many vantage points, both on the mainland and the Isle of Wight, to watch the race progress.

Participating Yachts

Round the Island is a great opportunity to watch world-renowned sailors race against families and first-time racers.

Although the majority of the fleet take many hours to complete the race, the course records stand at 3h 43m 50s for a monohull boat, set by Mike Slade on ICAP Leopard in 2013, and 2h 22m 23s for a multihull boat, set by Ned Collier Wakefield on Concise 10 in 2017.

Handpicked Locations

https://racing.islandsc.org.uk/crew-finder/boats

Social Program

On the Isle of Wight? Watch from ashore…

As the excitement builds you will want a fantastic vantage point to watch the action. The table below outlines the best viewing points at each stage of the race along with directions of how to get to them. Prepare yourself to race around the island yourself by road or find a spot and stick to it, it’s up to you!

Alternatively you can stay in the Race Village, located on the Parade in Cowes, where there will be live entertainment, food and drink, and the chance to chat with race sponsors Helly Hansen, Raymarine and the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust.

But if you’re not lucky enough to be there in person when the starting cannon fires, don’t worry – there are plenty of ways to follow the race, no matter where you are.

Online coverage

There are a selection of ways to follow on the official Round the Island Race website, including regular news updates and GPS tracking.

Social media

You’ll also be able to follow the event on Twitter using the hashtag #raceforall for race updates and via the official Facebook page. The best photos from the day can also be found on the official Round the Island Race Instagram page.