First entry for 2013 J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race

by Peta Stuart-Hunt, ISC Race Press Officer 4 Jan 2013 09:25 GMT 1 June 2013

The Island Sailing Club opened its entries for the 82nd J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race at 12.01 a.m. this morning and can confirm that the first entry to be approved and processed was Redshank, a Devon-based 30 year-old Evolution 26, owned and raced by Stuart Palmer, 47, from Teignmouth in Devon.

Stuart, who is self-employed, married and with two young children, is entering the Race for the first time but has two crew members who have competed before. Julian Weyer Brown won the family class with his yacht Coral of Teignmouth in 2006 and Mathew Owen competed and finished last year helming Moon-Stream.

"We race at our home club and at the Torbay Regatta but the Round the Island Race is the biggest event for us to compete in. Even the delivery trip from Devon is a big adventure!" said Stuart. "During 2012 we achieved 2nd in the Cruiser Class at Torbay Week and won 'Fleet 2' at our local club, Teign Corinthian Yacht Club. We consider these very good results given the age of the boat and third-hand sails!"

Early bird entries remain open until midnight on Feb 2nd when standard entry fees then apply through to midnight on May 11th. Final entry numbers for this year's Race, taking place on Saturday 1st June, are expected to be in the region of 1,700 with around 16,000 sailors competing across this massive fleet.

Competitors enter from around the world to race the 50 nautical miles from the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, Isle of Wight. The massive fleet heads west to the Needles, often flying their colourful spinnakers, and everyone finishes back in Cowes. The majority of the fleet will take many hours to complete the Race however, there will be teams challenging the existing course records. These still stand at:

• 3hrs 53mins and 05secs for a monohull, set by Mike Slade on ICAP Leopard in 2008
• 3hrs 08mins 29secs for a multihull, set by Francis Joyon in 2001 aboard Dexia Eure et Loire

Rod Nicholls, the Commodore of the Island Sailing Club and Principal Race Officer for the 2013 J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, extends his good wishes to all previous and new competitors and to all the Race followers around the world.

"The Race Management Team takes this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy New Year as we look forward to another memorable and successful Race day on 1st June."

This year, organisers have combined with Race Partners to run a free-to-enter prize draw for the duration of the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show (Jan 12th-20th). The draw can be entered every day on the Henri Lloyd stand A112 and there is a range of fabulous prizes to win, including:

• Island Sailing Club - One free Race entry for 2013
• J.P. Morgan - £3000 in a Stocks and Shares ISA
• Henri Lloyd - Official Race Jacket and Cap
• Timex - A Watch
• A Sailing Logic skipper for a day's coaching on your own boat to prepare you & your crew for the 2013 Race
• A signed copy of Dame Ellen MacArthur's book 'Full Circle'
• Ben Ainslie #benandrita - Pair of Port & Starboard Socks
• Haven Knox-Johnston - A Henri Lloyd Kit Bag
• Old Pulteney - A bottle of 12 year-old Whisky
• A Raymarine 101E Radio

www.roundtheisland.org.uk