Raymarine has announced its continuing sponsorship of the Round the Island Race.

The electronics company has supported the race since 2003, including presenting the pre-race weather briefing, and it will continue to do so for the race’s 80th anniversary year in 2011.

Fiona Pankhurst, Raymarine‘s head of corporate marketing and PR, said: ‘Raymarine has developed this all-important weather briefing over the years to make it easily accessible for the majority of the race competitors to share, even if they are unable to attend the briefing in person.

‘We relay the briefing via SMS messaging and also use a dedicated microsite to host the weather briefing online.

‘This event is appreciated and recognised as a useful addition to the pre-race preparation, especially as the information is prepared and presented by expert marine weather authorities, such as Chris Tibbs and Libby Greenhalgh.’

Lea Bennett, secretary of the race organiser’s Island Sailing Club, said: ‘We would like to thank Raymarine and all our valued race partners for their continuing commitment to ensuring the future of this unique sporting event and for their confidence in us as the organisers and hosts.

‘The Island Sailing Club has been going since 1889 and as the organisers of this great race which is about to enter its 80th year, we are doing everything we can to ensure that we deliver the very best race to our 1,700 plus competitors.’

Next year’s Round the Island Race will be on Saturday June 25 with the first gun at 0600.

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