Exhilarating Round the Island Race
Thrills and spills were the order of the day for the 1,100 yachts competing in the Round the Island Race on July 1, with two multihulls capsizing, several knockdowns, dismastings and a number of RNLI call-outs. Wild conditions to the south of the Isle of Wight, with significant seas and strong gusts, despite the winds being 20-25 knots, made life difficult for the competing yachtsmen who were clapped loudly as they crossed the line.
RNLI lifeboats from Cowes, Portsmouth, Yarmouth, Lymington, Mudeford, Calshot and Bembridge attended multiple incidents and one sailor was airlifted to hospital by a coastguard helicopter.
