Entries open for the 85th Round the Island Race

J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race © Paul Wyeth

Entries open for the 85th edition of the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race on Friday 15th January.

To encourage a strong take up of early bird entries, the ISC is offering ONE FREE ENTRY to this year's Race. The lucky winner's name will be drawn at random after Early Bird entries close on 13th February. www.rtir.me/entries

One of the most important factors to highlight regarding the 2016 Race is the first start time of 0830(!) on Saturday 2nd July 2016.

Big names turn out in 2016

The Race organisers at the Island Sailing Club are delighted to announce that the new Fast 40+ Class will be competing in this year's J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race on 2nd July. The class will not be eligible to race for the Gold Roman Bowl but is competing for the Turbo UK Cup.

The Race Director of the Fast 40+ Race Circuit, Stuart Childerley said: "The Fast 40+ Class fleet is delighted to be racing in the 2016 Round the Island Race. With relatively short upwind legs and plenty of reaching and downwind sailing, the fleet is looking forward to this exciting and dramatic, mid season extravaganza."

Charity

The Race welcomes back the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust in its final year as the Official Race Charity after five highly successful years and a fantastic £226,364.25 raised which has enabled an additional 334 young people to join the Trust for a four day trip and 95 young people in recovery from Cancer to be able to sail in Britain's Favourite Yacht Race!

The Trust CEO Frank Fletcher says that the partnership with J.P. Morgan Asset Management, the ISC team and the Race Partners has been outstanding for the Trust.

"The opportunities that have been opened up for the Trust through this partnership have been exceptional and it's no word of a lie to say that it has provided the Trust with a fantastic basis for moving forward."

In 2016, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is hoping to raise a further £40,000 through its association with the Race.

Panel of experts to host LIVE interactive Q&A sessions

The ISC's Race Management team is putting in place a series of specific topic-related Q&A sessions via the Race website, between February and June. A team of experts in their fields, including one or two well-known names who are especially familiar with the Race, will be available to answer questions from competitors and anyone who can't quite make their minds up whether to enter this year!

Entering + Planning your Race on Wednesday 3rd February 1300-1345hrs

Charity fundraising + Race Communications + Media on Wednesday 20th April 1300-1345hrs

Preparing for the Race + Tracking + Start tactics on Wednesday 22nd June 1300-1345hrs

JPMAM bows out gracefully after 12 years

2016 marks the final year of the J.P. Morgan Asset Management title sponsorship of the Round the Island Race and what an amazing twelve years they have been. As we progress towards the 2016 Race weekend over 2nd-3rd July, the focus will periodically shift from this year's event to cast everyone's minds back to the huge contribution made by J.P. Morgan to the development and expansion of the Race that so many thousands of sailors enjoy being a part of.

www.roundtheisland.org.uk