‘Best in Britain’
Round the Island ‘is the best race in Britain’.
Speaking after finishing yesterday’s race, Round the Island regular Thomas Skinner, skippering Zero II, hailed the event.
“As always, it was a great race and a very enjoyable day. We had a group of punters who rented the boat and they absolutely loved it. They are not racers so we were conservative but we finished in the middle of the pack and we can’t ask for more than that. They’re already talking about doing it again next year, so it was a real success, as it always is, and in my opinion, this is the best race in Britain.”
Over 800 boats competed in the race around the Isle of Wight. You can view the results here.
Zoulou, with 84-year-old Peter Cunningham at the helm, was first over the line, in 3:26:20.
Ned Collier Wakefield, Zoulou skipper, said: “To get line honours for Peter and to have him helm all the way round at 84 was fantastic. He had a massive smile on his face when we crossed the line – a very happy boss.”
Dave Atkinson, Race Director, said it was a good day all round. “We didn’t get the winds that were forecast and although we had some thunder and heavy showers later in the day, considering how it looked on Friday, it was much better than expected,” said Dave.
“The competitors have been telling us how much they enjoyed it and we had very few issues on the water across the day.”
“There were lots of sub-races happening, with families, schools and groups of friends all trying to beat each other. That’s what makes this race special and as always, the camaraderie among everyone was fantastic.”
To get line honours for Peter and to have him helm all the way round at 84 was fantastic. He had a massive smile on his face when we crossed the line – a very happy boss.
Ned Collier Wakefield, Zoulou skipper
