The Princess Royal to visit Isle of Wight for Fastnet Race

Princess Anne will start the race at the Royal Ocean Racing Club at 12pm, sending hundreds of competitors on the 695 mile route to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin.

The race marks the club's 100th anniversary, which the Royal Ocean Racing Club has celebrated by reintroducing the Admiral's Cup, an event which was historically the premier offshore race.

The Princess Royal visited the Island last May (2024), opening Seaview Yacht Club's training centre and visiting Bembridge National Coastwatch Station in her capacity as royal patron of the National Coastwatch Institution.

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The Fastnet Race will see hundreds of sailors compete in the cross-Channel feat - including father and daughter Richard and Sophie Palmer from Cowes.

The double-handed crew will compete in the IRC4 class, with the race being Richard's 11th Fastnet Race and Sophie's second.

The Fastnet Race started in 1925 with just seven entries, carrying a mission to encourage long-distance yacht racing.

This year, more than 3,500 crew members will compete in the race, which starts on the Island and finishes in Northern France.

UPDATE 4.51pm: 

The Princess Royal will now be officially starting the Rolex Fastnet Race at 11.20am from the RYS line, and will start the Admiral's Cup at 12 noon tomorrow (Saturday).