JPMorgan Fleming announces weekend activity

All members of the Island Sailing Club - from left to right; Tony Chilvers, Lea Bennett, Shirley Roberston, Peter Dickson, David Atkinson, Helen Lashmar, Richard Cardiff of JPMorgan Fleming © Rebecca Farquhar

• JPMorgan Fleming Round the Island Race to appear on TV screens across the country
• Unique opportunity for amateurs to compete against professionals
• Anyone with a sail boat is eligible to enter

JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management and double Olympic gold medallist, Shirley Robertson, have announced the exciting weekend of activity for the JPMorgan Fleming Round the Island Race 2005 at the London Boat Show.

For the first time since the Round the Island Race’s incubation in 1931, JPMorgan Fleming Asset Management, as title sponsor, will be transmitting the race live as the action happens. Rigorous filming will take place over the 55 nautical-mile course, and the production of a 26-minute documentary to potentially appear on television, will help raise the profile of the most famous sailing race in the world.

Chris Tibbs, world-class sailor and renowned sailing meteorologist, will present a pioneering weather briefing, which will take place on Friday 17th June 2005 courtesy of Raymarine. This will take place at the Island Sailing Club, with prospective link-ups to local sailing clubs so that people taking part in the JPMorgan Fleming Round the Island Race 2005, who are unable to get into Cowes on the Friday night, will still have access to important weather reports and tips on navigation based on the weather forecast.

The festive atmosphere on the water will be echoed through the streets of Cowes for the duration of the days racing, with everyone from sailors to spectators to children being part of the JPMorgan Fleming Round the Island Race.

Richard Cardiff, Head of UK, JPMorgan Fleming, says: “We are delighted to be the title sponsor of the JPMorgan Fleming Round the Island Race 2005 with such an exciting weekend of events ahead of us, from the weather briefing on the Friday night, to being involved in one of the largest participatory sports in the UK. The sponsorship forms part of our overall commitment to bringing sailing to everyone, at all levels of the sport.”

Shirley Robertson, double Olympic gold medallist, says, “The Round the Island race is so much more than just another sailing event. It’s a celebration of the Isle of Wight, of sailing, and the nearest thing sailing has to the London marathon with 1600 boats and over 10 thousand competitors. When you get to the Needles and there are boats of all sizes as far as the eye can see, there’s no other race of its kind in the UK. The news that the Round the Island has a title sponsor in JPMorgan Fleming will ensure this race continues to grow and grow.”

People of any age or sailing experience, with a sail boat, will be welcome to register for the JPMorgan Fleming Round the Island Race 2005 by logging on to www.roundtheisland.org.uk or by visiting the JPMorgan Fleming stand, N1758, at the London Boat Show between 6-16 January 2005.