Round the Island Race 2025 - Contessa 32 class in tightly contested racing in exciting conditions
by Peter Binning 11 Jun 11:11 BST
7 June 2025
Musketeer under spinnaker during the Round the Island Race 2025 © Rob Hamlett (Connie)
In the end the threat of another very windy race for a second year in a row dissolved as the weather system moderated to give the fleet a classic beat down the Western Solent under grey skies. The conditions were nothing like the storm force winds of 2024 which caused the cancellation of the smaller classes and sent many boats home to shelter before they reached Hurst.
In the Contessa 32 fleet start at 0840, the leading boats had chosen the Squadron end of the line with Jemima of Farley along with Drumbeat building an advantageous gap over the rest of the fleet by the time they reached the Needles. Nevertheless the rest of the fleet enjoyed close racing all the way to the west making the most of the strong tide, fighting for clear air and avoiding the risk of close quarters situations with other competitors.
Rounding the Needles, the fleet leaders set their kites within minutes whereas lower down the order there was less immediate enthusiasm. The front of the fleet saw Drumbeat hoist their big spinnaker challenged hard by Jemima of Farley under her smaller heavy kite as both boats traded places getting well into the Island shore. Drumbeat lost the lead to Jemima of Farley but then clawed it back rolling wildly in 20+ knots as they reached the Bembridge Ledge turning mark 75 yards ahead.
What followed was a windy white sail drag race up the Eastern Solent against the tide with Drumbeat heading into Osborne Bay for less tide which eventually gave Jemima of Farley her chance to overtake despite the shifty breeze off Norris Point. She won the race by 36 seconds on Drumbeat with last year's winner, Bugler about 9 minutes behind. Binkie II and Concerto both finished within 20 minutes of the leader.
The rest of the fleet ran into a failing breeze and building east going tide as they struggled to reach the finish after a flying two sail fetch. The race provided its final test developing into a light airs, adverse tide beat in pouring rain to the northern finish line with English Rose, Musketeer and Carolina all in with a chance of 7th place behind Augusta. Altogether 17 Contessas finished what was a memorable day's racing - what must surely be one of the best day's out on the water in the English sailing season. Commenting after the race, the winner, Gareth Penn said that it was "an excellent race, once again proving the one design strength of the class". Mark Himsworth of Drumbeat described it as an 'epic tussle' between the two boats all the way round.
Results from Class ISC 7B can be found here.
Next year's race is on 11 July 2026. The Contessa 32 fleet will be there again in force.