Sir Robin Knox-Johnston set for J.P Morgan Round the Island Race
by Marina Thomas 19 Jun 2014 12:54 BST
21 June 2014
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston winching aboard Haven KJ Grey Power © onEdition
Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, 75, will be trialling his newly fitted-out Open 60, Haven KJ Grey Power, in the 83rd J.P Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race this Saturday.
The boat has been kitted out ahead of Knox-Johnston's participation in French single-handed classic the Route de Rhum this November.
The British founder of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and first ever man to sail solo, non-stop around the world in 1968/69, will compete in the 50 mile course around the Isle of Wight with almost 1600 other yachts.
Knox-Johnston will be racing in the Open 60 class against Rosalba with his grandson Oscar, 17, as well as some friends and several Clipper Race employees.
He said: "The J.P Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race is a fabulous event with entrants ranging from millionaire's boats to the person next door's dinghy.
"I have done it many times and am looking forward to giving the boat a good run and some practice following the fit-out.
"I sailed to France last weekend and the boat performed well. With the Route du Rhum coming up in November, there will be more changes and new gear needed so now is a good time to test out the kit."
Knox-Johnston celebrated the 45th anniversary of his inaugural circumnavigation on April 22 2014. The voyage took 312 days.
The Clipper Race, which has turned more than 3,500 novices into ocean racers, finishes on July 12 in London, after which Knox-Johnston will be getting in more racing when he competes in the Round Britain and Ireland Race on his Open 60.
www.roundtheisland.org.uk