By Isle of Wight Observer
The Round the Island off-shore Powerboat race will take place on Saturday, which will see teams competing for the opening round of the 2025 UKOPRA Offshore Championship.
This year, the teams will be based on the River Medina at East Cowes Marina. Up to 16 teams, from across the UK and Sweden, will compete for Classes 1/1L/2/ 3 titles around the 60-mile coastline.
Last year Rob Lockyer, in his 50ft Outerlimits hull ‘Good Boy Vodka’, set a new record for the circumnavigation of the Island at a staggering 118.04 mph, completing the course in just 30 minutes and 18 seconds.
The Island will be led by the Class 3E team ‘Mango Crazy’, with the crew of Seaview publican, Peter Hall, and pal Terry Parsons, who will be looking to go one better in this year’s Championship in their famous red Hunton powerboat, after being runners-up in every race last season.
Class 3E Champions from 2024 ‘Thunderstreak’ have now retired from racing, meaning that Mango Crazy could be one of the hot favourites for this year’s title.
With the start line and muster area off East Lepe buoy (opposite Gurnard), the teams will take the green flag at around 2pm and head off in an anti-clockwise direction.
Timetable for spectators: Friday: 12pm-6pm: Scrutineering, East Cowes Marina.
Saturday: 1pm: Boats leave East Cowes marina for the muster area; 2pm: Race start (East Lepe buoy); 6pm: Podium presentations, East Cowes marina.
Best race viewing vantage points include The Lifeboat pub, Yarmouth Pier, Fort Victoria (or Hurst Castle), The Needles, St Catherine’s Lighthouse, Ryde Pier and Egypt Point.
All spectator boats in the vicinity of the rolling start are advised to keep north in an imaginary line from East Lepe to West Lepe buoy.
This is advisable on safety grounds and to provide a clean start for the racers.