The fastest sailboat boat in the world, Maiden II, will take on the challenging Round the Island course having just successfully claimed one of the most prestigious of sailing records, the 24hr distance record.

The Solent’s annual test of nerve gets underway this Saturday, 22 June, when over 1,600 yachts and some 13,000 sailors will line up to take part in one of the world’s biggest yacht races – The Round the Island Race 2002.

Tracy Edwards and her 13 strong crew aboard Maiden II, a 110 ft maxi-catamaran, took the title of ‘fastest boat in the world’ away from Steve Fossett’s Playstation, in a gruelling attempt in the North Atlantic on Thursday 13 June.

Edwards and her crew have now set their sights on the Round the Island Race course record, currently held by Francis Joyon’s trimaran, Dexia Eure et Loir, which was co-skippered by Rodney Pattisson in 2001 to finish the race in 3hr 8min 29 sec.