A superb summer’s day, with bright sun and a moderate to fresh offshore wind gave ideal conditions for the 1,459 boats entered in this year’s J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.
The strongest winds were experienced early in the day, just after dawn, and sped Sir Ben Ainslie’s 45ft America’s Cup catamaran J.P. Morgan BAR around the Island at record breaking speed. He crossed the finish line of the 50-mile race just after 0800 this morning, slicing an impressive 16 minutes off the 12-year-old race record.
In the monohull fleet the biggest boat in the IRC classes, Mike Slade’s 100ft ICAP Leopard, was not far behind. He crossed the finish line 40 minutes after Ainslie, shaving almost 10 minutes off the monohull race record he set in 2008.
Just 10 minutes later Phil Cotton’s diminutive Seacart 30 trimaran, Buzz, crossed the finish line. Cotton won the Grand Prix Multihull class, half an hour ahead of Ainslie on corrected time, showing just how successful amateur sailors can be in this race.
Sir Keith Mills’ TP52 5 West finished at 0935, but his team had an agonising wait until almost 1600 before he could be (provisionally) sure of securing overall victory in the IRC division. “It was a great race, although I didn’t expect to win as it’s usually a small boat like a Folkboat or Contessa 26 that gets it in the end,” Mills said afterwards.
“It was great for the team on board today,” Mills added. “They really enjoyed it and it was more special because most of us were at Bart’s [Andrew Simpson] funeral yesterday – we all thought it would be a fitting tribute to him if we had a good race today.”
Peter Bainbridge’s J/122 Sky Hunter ll, was announced as (provisional) winner the Silver Gilt Roman Bowl for the overall winner of the ISCRS classes. The second boat on corrected time in this fleet was the second-slowest rated boat in the entire race, Gavin Mann and Robert Lewis’ 39-year-old Fisher Freeward 25 motor sailer, Nexus. She finished shortly after 1600 and missed beating Sky Hunter ll by a mere 14 seconds.
Full results are posted on the race website and the prize giving hosted by the Island Sailing Club, with trophies presented by Sir Robin Knox-Johnston, will be held at 1200 noon tomorrow Sunday June 2. See rtir.me/results for the results listings.
Race highlights:
The TP52 5 West, owned and helmed throughout the race by Sir Keith Mills, with Robert Greenhalgh as boat skipper, is announced as provisional overall winner of the Gold Roman Bowl.
Sir Ben Ainslie’s 45ft America’s Cup catamaran J.P. Morgan BAR stormed round the Island in 2 hours 52 minutes 15 seconds, carving more than 16 minutes off the record time set by Francis Joyon in 2001.
Mike Slade’s ICAP Leopard finished at 0843.50, shaving 9 minutes 45 seconds off the monohull race record he set in 2008.
Last year’s overall Gold Roman Bowl winner, the TP52 Weapon of Choice (which sailed as Manroland Sheetfed in 2012), has picked up a time penalty for a rule infringement, putting her out of contention for the big prizes today.
Phil Cotton’s 30ft Seacart trimaran Buzz is confirmed as winner of the Grand Prix multihull class on handicap, with a half hour lead on Sir Ben Ainslie’s record breaking 45ft catamaran J.P. Morgan BAR on corrected time.
One of the five Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust boats, EMCT 2/Scarlet Oyster is confirmed as finishing third in class.
LINE HONOURS OVERALL (first over the line)
1. J. P. Morgan BAR (Sir Ben Ainslie) 2hrs 52mins 15sec
2. ICAP Leopard (Mike Slade) 3hrs 43mins 50sec
LINE HONOURS MONOHULLS
1. ICAP Leopard (Mike Slade) 3hrs 43mins 50sec – winners of the Observer Trophy and J. P. Morgan Asset Management Trophy
2. Hugo Boss (Alex Thomson) 4hrs 12mins 1sec
LINE HONOURS MULTIHULLS
1. J. P. Morgan BAR 2hrs 52mins 15sec
2. Buzz (Phil Cotton) 3hrs 54mins 47sec