All aboard Round the Island Race 2016

Entries are open for the 85th edition of the Round the Island Race (RTIR), which will take place on Saturday 2 July.

The historic ‘race for all’ around the Isle of Wight, which regularly attracts 1,500 sailing yachts of all shapes and sizes. To encourage early entries, the race organisers at Island Sailing Club are offering one free entry to this year’s race. The winner’s name will be drawn at random after early bird entries close on 13 February: www.rtir.me/entries

One of the most important factors to highlight regarding the 2016 race is the first start time of 0830.

The new Fast 40+ Class will be competing in this year’s race. Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust will be the official event charity for the last of five successful years, which have raised £226,364.25 and enabled 334 young people to join the trust for a four-day trip and 95 young people in recovery from cancer to sail in RTIR.

2016 also marks the end of the 12-year J.P. Morgan Asset Management title sponsorship of the race.