Clipper Race fleet full throttle Round the Island

A record-breaking 15 Clipper Race yachts are competing in today’s Round the Island Race (RTI) alongside nearly 1600 entries in the classic mass participation competition around the Isle of Wight on the UK south coast.

Twelve Clipper 70s and three Clipper 68s have been mustered by Clipper Events for a range of clients including the title sponsor JP Morgan Asset Management. They have 144 guests aboard the Clipper 70s with each team led by one of the current Clipper 2015-16 Race skippers. So there is stiff competition in the Clipper Yacht Class for the Vaphio Cup.

The three Clipper 68’s have been chartered by private clients including RTI and Clipper Race Technical Clothing Partner Henri Lloyd. On board are Joint Chief Executive Paul Strzelecki and two crew members competing in the Clipper 2015-16 Race who won the opportunity through a competition.

Clipper Race round-the-world competitor Chloe Ford, a 31 year-old IT Consultant from London, says: “I'm very grateful to have won a place on board the Round the Island race with Henri Lloyd – my first ever race! I'm pleased to have the opportunity to experience race conditions before the Clipper Race, which is looming, and it’s all getting scarily real! I'm a heady mix of excitement and nervousness at the moment.”

The other Clipper Race crew member with the Henri Lloyd RTI team is round-the-worlder Justin Howard, a 43 year-old Greenkeeper from Essex who has no previous sailing experience. He comments: “As a novice sailor, before my training, I see this as a great opportunity to get some much needed practice in; especially tying bowline knots. I am really looking forward to racing for the first time too and the adrenaline rush that brings.”

Clipper Race founder Sir Robin Knox-Johnston says: “This is Britain's largest sailing participation event and our fleet of twelve new Clipper 70’s and four Clipper 68’s will be up against some seriously fast yachts as well as some intense competition between themselves.

“The prospect of racing against nearly 1600 boats in a crowded course of the 50 miles around the Isle of Wight really makes this one of the most exciting days in the sailing calendar. I wish them all an exhilarating day of competitive racing.”

To follow the 84^th RTI and the Clipper Events fleet in the Clipper Yacht Class, visit the RTI Race website here.

To discover more about Clipper Events, click here.