Cork skipper gears up for top British yacht race

A sailor from Cork will skipper one of the 1,600 boats competing in one of Britain’s largest participation sporting events of the year.

The JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race takes place on Saturday, July 2.

Skipper Wan Waterman and his 10-strong crew of ‘Saxon Senator’ , will join some 16,000 sailors set to master one of the world’s largest yacht races, also referred to as “Britain’s favourite yacht race”.

A member of the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Wan will be taking on the prestigious yacht race for the first time. “I am very much looking forward to being on the starting line with 1,600 other boats,” he said yesterday, as he limbered up for the challenge.

“It’s our first time doing this race but we’ve heard such great stories about the event that we’ve to travel from Cork. It’s certainly one the races on the ‘to-do’ list.”

The famous 50 nautical mile course around the Isle of Wight, now in its 85th year and organised by the Island Sailing Club, is an all-encompassing event.

The unique “Race for All” ethos caters for and embraces first timers, families, amateurs and professionals competing at the highest level.

That same Race for All ethos is supported through the Official Charity, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust where over £226,000 (€285,000) has been raised through its association with the race to date.