JP Morgan Round The Island Race – Isle of Wight 2015

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Sailors on board Yacht in Round The Island Race

JP Morgan Round The Island Race, The sailors

Once agin, it was a pleasure to photograph the JP Morgan Round The Island Race. This time I photographed the event from aboard the yacht Tenia with her terrific crew and Skipper (Grant Goulding) as she competed in the race.

This year the annual JP Morgan Round The Island Race attracted 1,584 yachts and around 1,600 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.

The Race is organised by the Island Sailing Club and starts from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes and then follows a 50 nautical mile course around the Isle of Wight.  Initially the fleet races westabout towards the Needles, this year this leg of the race was a very lively beat, within many near misses and calls of “Starboard” as the fleet zig zagged across its self in choppy waters and spirited force 5 wind. The fleet then races to round St Catherine’s Point and Bembridge Ledge buoy, finishing back in the Solent and a race to the line at Cowes.

Rounding the Needles, JP Morgan Round The Island Race

A Sea of Sails

The race is an unbelievable spectacle, quite literally from onboard the yacht Tenia all that could be seen from every angle was a sea of sails, especially at the start and rounding the Needles where hundreds of yachts all jostle for position and advantage. Being on board Tenia gave me one of the best vantage points to view and photograph the race, but being a sailor myself I was torn between taking photos and wanting to sail the yacht. Spectators also have the opportunity to view the race from many vantage pints on the Island as well as the main land.

Summer haze ,Round The island RaceThe record for the race stands at 3h 43m 50s for a monohull boat, set by Mike Slade on ICAP Leopard in 2013 and 2hr 52m 15s for a multihull boat set by Sir Ben Ainslie On JP Morgan BAR, also in 2013.  Most of the competitors take many hours to complete the course with Tenia coming in at 260th in a time of 8h 30m.

There will be many more photos of the race and the passage from Ipswich to Cowes posted in our galleries shortly.

Sailing off the Needles, JP Morgan Round The Island Race

Alert Helmsman, Round The island Race

Round The Island Race

Crew Mamber, Round The island Race

Wincing, Round The island Race

Cew Member in Black and White, Round The island Race

Sailing in the Solent JP Morgan Round The Island Race

Sailing at the JP Morgan Round The Island Race

Gypsey Moth at JP Margan Round The Island Race

Round The island Race

Yacht healing over, Round The island Race

Yacht in Sunlight ,Round The island Race

Rounding the Needles Round The island Race

Round The island Race

Helmsman, Round The island Race

Yacht on Beat, Round The island Race

Crew on Gunnels, Round The island Race