Aptly named High Potential wins Round the Island Race gold bowl

Ross Applebey and his team, based in Lymington, sailed an impressive race in light wind conditions — winning with a time of 8hr 30mins and 3secs on corrected time yesterday (Saturday).

Ross Appleby and crew in High Potential, which won the coveted Gold Roman Bowl on corrected time, passing The Needles lighthouse in yesterday's Round the Island Race.  Photo: High Potential. 

Commenting on his team's win, elated skipper Appleby said: "We are absolutely delighted with the result.

"It's been an amazing day of sailing and, this year, everything we did seemed to turn to gold, with things ultimately turning in our favour as we approached Ryde.

Round the Island action.  Photo: Paul Wyeth

"We've enjoyed a great atmosphere on board all day with my wife, Sarah, and our good friends.

"After doing a dozen or so Round the Island Races in the past, and the last three of those in High Potential, we are so happy our hard work has paid off."

Ned Collier Wakefield, alongside Irvine Laidlaw, sailing aboard Tony Lawson's MOD70 foiling trimaran, Concise Fling, was the first to cross the line to emulate last year's result.

First boat to cross the line, Concise Fling, Ned Collier Wakefield's second successive Round the Island victory.  Photo: Paul Wyeth

Having set a new Round the Island record last year for being the fastest-ever multihull, Collier Wakefield may well have set a new record for being the slowest past the finishing post in 8.34.09 — over six hours slower than his 2017 time.

The general lack of wind and sea breeze left hundreds of teams struggling to reach the Needles before the tidal gate slammed shut in the early part of the race.

Gladiator, second to cross the finish line.  Photo: Paul Wyeth

Those who sneaked through had little option other than to soldier on and endure a slow, challenging, and extremely hot rounding of the Isle of Wight.

The award for the first monohull to finish went to Tony Langley's TP52 Gladiator who completed the course in 8.56.47.

After the race, Langley said: "It was the longest one I've ever done — nine hours on the helm, which is plenty.

Round the Island action yesterday, between Hurst Castle and The Needles. Photo: Ian Roman

"There were three transitions, two round the back of the Island, and one on the eastern Solent. These transitions from one breeze to the other were the tricky ones — a knot or so of wind — so it was a case of just keeping the boat working to get through to a new breeze."

Commenting on their efforts to catch Concise Fling on the final stretch to the finish line, he added: "We didn't quite make it, but we did have a moment when we thought we might do because they were in the transition for a lot longer."

The race, run by the Island Sailing Club (ISC), attracted 1,200 competitors.

The Round the Island Race awards ceremony will be held at the ISC today (Sunday).