Reporters from the BBC World service and BBC Radio 4 are learning the art of fair weather sailing today.

Rodney Smith and Shari Vahl are sailing on board the UK Sailing Academy’sAlbatross.

World Service’s Rodney and Shari, a regular reporter for Woman’s Hour, are complete novices but were both quick to accept the invitation of Isle of Wight Tourism to take part in the race.

As they make steady progress past St Catherine’s Point Rodney Smith comments “This is so entertaining, a truly liberating experience. I have found both this and our training day highly instructive!

Perhaps his passing comment about interrupting his lesson in tying a bowline was a better insight into this year’s benign race conditions