Thousands of sailors will flock to Cowes, hoping to make their mark when the Round the Island Race returns tomorrow (Saturday, June 15).
The annual 90-year-old spectacle, for amateur and professional yachtsmen and women, will see competitors follow a 50 nautical mile course, anti-clockwise, around the Island.
Teams will compete for one of over 100 trophies.
A mix of Olympians, professional race teams, amateurs and families will be out on the water, challenged to break the existing course records of 3h 43m 50s for a monohull boat and 2h 22m 23s for multihulls.
Scroll down to see the nine best places to watch the Round the Island Race from the Isle of Wight...
Photo by Paul Wyeth
Here are the best places to watch the Round the Island Race from the Isle of Wight:
The race starts and finishes in Cowes.
Between 6am and 7:20am, off Cowes, boats will begin the event in ten groups, at ten minute intervals.
Yachts will then head west towards Yarmouth and come into view from Sconce Point, at 7:30am to 10am.
They will cruise around The Needles between 8am and 11:30am, before passing Chilton Chine from 8:45am to 12am.
Yachts will head to St Catherine’s Point, where they will race past the lighthouse, between 9:30am and 1:30pm.
Those in Ventnor will get a great view from the La Falaise Car Park from 9:45am to 2pm.
Spectators will be able to see the yachts from Shore Road Car Park in Bonchurch and Culver Down between 10am and 3:30pm.
The best place to catch the end of the race will be at Ryde Pier, where viewers can see competition near its end, between 11:30am and 4:30pm.
What else is happening onshore on the Isle of Wight during the Round the Island Race?
Onshore, meanwhile, expect music and entertainment. The Parade in Cowes is free to enter, from 2pm, on Friday, July 14.
The shoreside race village will feature live music on stage, as Blonde Bombshell and Cornerstone headline Friday and Saturday respectively.
A food court featuring local Island vendors, such as Honey Donuts and Island Ice will also be available for spectators, competitors and supporters.
Spectators will also be able to follow the competition online from home through the event website’s ‘Race Viewer.’
What is the Round the Island Race?
The globally renowned Round the Island Race has named the RNLI as its official charity.
Donations raised will help train volunteer crews at stations at Cowes, Yarmouth and Bembridge, as well as in Hampshire and Dorset.
House Rules
We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.
Read the rules here