YM’s Geoff Pack Scholar Dave Pugh will be posting live reports throughout tomorrow’s race. In addition to reporting the latest news coming into the Press Office, he will be in personal contact with eight boats across a range of handicap groups. In order of start time, these boats will be:

Murphy & NyeBrett Lewis will be helming his Cork 1720Murphy & Nyefor the Sportsboat Rule, competing for the Edward Heath Trophy. Starting at 0630, this class will be flying a turquoise flag with Naval Numeral pennant ‘5’ beneath. Brett aims to beat his 2003 time of 7 hours 30 minutes.

Azzurra of BristolChris Gill will be mate aboard his First 47.7Azzurrain IRC Group 1, competing for the Vaphio Cup.Azzurrawill sail with a crew of paying guests from Chris’ charter business ‘Yacht Ventures’, whose abilities range from Competent Crew to Yachtmaster. Skippered by Commercial Yachtmaster James Lamb,Azzurrahas a personal derby with another Yacht Ventures First 47.7Tshotsholoza, who races with a lower handicap and therefore poses an open challenge to Chris’ team. IRC Group 1 start at 0640 and will fly a pink flag.

Xara of HamblePeter Hunt will raceXara, a one-off 52 footer, in ISC Group A.Xarahas competed in the race for 6 years and has recently made her first appearance in the top half of the fleet, after a series of poor results due to a RORC handicap and various accidents. Her crew has no big boat racing experience, but includes a doctor and a barrister, both of whom Peter thinks may come in useful. Fully equipped for cruising, Peter hopes thatXarawill break the record for sailing a washing machine around the island. Competing for the Jimmie Read Memorial Cup,Xarawill start at 0650 and fly a green flag.

Blue MaxAlex Beasley will skipperBlue Max, an X332, in IRC Group 2.Blue Maxwas X332 National Champion in 2001, and was in the top half of the RTI Group 2 fleet in 2003. Her crew is made up of a mate and 6 dinghy sailors, experiencing big boat racing for the first time this year. Starting at 0700, the fleet will fly a black flag, and are competing for the Yeoman Challenge Trophy.

VarenAndrew Marjoribanks is part of the team sailing wooden Moody-built 42ft sloopVarenin the Classic Racing Yachts class. The crew, from Greenock on the Clyde, are newcomers to the Round the Island race, although all are experienced racers in Scottish waters. The Classic Racing Yachts class will fly a white flag with International Code flag ‘K’ beneath. The fleet compete for the Renaissance Trophy.

SummertimeGeoff Gray will be aboard Southerly 110Summertime, the only Englishman in a crew of four Irishmen and a New Yorker.Summertimeand her crew have a tough personal best to beat, having finished 8th in class in 2003. She is recognisable by her dark blue hull and an Irish tricolour flying from the port spreaders.Summertimeis competing in ISC Group B for the Fedalah Challenge Trophy, and will fly a white flag.

Sea OrchidSteven Anderson will be racing his part-owned Moody 34Sea Orchidin ISC Group B. This isSea Orchid’s first race in the eight years Steven has owned her, although he has raced a Sunfast 37 round the island with crewmember Peter. Describing himself as a ‘committed cruising sailor’, Steven will be joined for the race by Peter and three other friends, one a novice and two who claim to have forgotten all they learned on a Dayskipper course.

SuhailiYM’s Toby Hodges will be crewing on board Sir Robin Knox-Johnston’s 32ft ketchSuhaili, on which Sir Robin completed the first non-stop solo circumnavigation. After a brief spell in the National Maritime Museum, during which time her planking began to open up, Knox-Johnston relaunchedSuhailiin 2002, berthing her afloat at the new Maritime Museum in Cornwall. Teak-built in Bombay by Sir Robin and two fellow Deck Officers in 1963, the Atkins-designedSuhailicompleted her refit in time to participate in last year’s Round the Island race. She will be competing in ISC Group C for the Spread Eagle Trophy. Group C boats start at 0730 and are identified by a purple flag.

Also competing in the race will be 21ft Mini-TransatOcean Legacy, sailed by skipper Paul Adamson and three crew. The tiny boat, which will race in ISC Group A due to her two-metre canting keel, has been designed around Paul to the extent that the cockpit fits his inside leg measurement.Ocean Legacywill be competing for the Jimmie Read Memorial Cup, and will fly a green flag. Dave Pugh will be interviewing Paul on completion of the race.

Be sure to log on tomorrow for all the latest news!