NACRA F20 FCS catamaran sailed by Grant Piggott & Adam Kay off Hurst Castle in West Solent in the 2015 Round the Island Race
NACRA F20 FCS catamaran sailed by Grant Piggott & Adam Kay flies a hull off Hurst castle in the West Solent during the 2015 Round the Island Race The annual Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, organised by the Island Sailing Club, is a one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight, an island situated off the south coast of England. The race regularly attracts over 1,700 boats and around 16,000 sailors, making it one of the largest yacht races in the world and the fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK after the London Marathon and the Great North and South Runs. Competitors come from all over the UK, other parts of Europe and as far away as the USA to follow the 50 nautical mile course round the Isle of Wight. Starting on the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, the fleet races westabout, to The Needles, round St Catherine's Point and Bembridge Ledge buoy, and back into the Solent to the finish line at Cowes. Spectators can find many vantage points, both on the mainland and Isle of Wight, to watch the race progress. The first start in Cowes will be at in 2015, and you can find more information about where the boats are at different times during the day by clicking here. Those who cannot get to watch in person can always keep an eye on the race’s progress on the website, via the live text commentary and boat tracking facility. Hurst Castle in Hampshire on the south coast of England is one of Henry VIII's Device Forts, built at the end of a long shingle spit at the west end of the Solent to guard the approaches to Southampton. Hurst Castle was sited at the narrow entrance to the Solent where the ebb and flow of the tides creates strong currents, putting would-be invaders at its mercy. Also known as a Henrician Castle, Hurst was built as part of Henry's chain of coastal defences to protect England during the turbulent times of his reign. It is now owned by English Heritage and is open to the public.
Size: 4000px × 2999px
Location: West Solent, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Photo credit: © Niall Ferguson / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: castle, catamaran, f20, fcs, hurst, island, multihull, nacra, race, sailing, solent, trapeze, yacht, yachting
