The JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race has already attracted
973 entries and a host of Olympic stars will be amongst the 13,000 sailors
lining up on the start line in Cowes.

Double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson is no stranger to the
event, having competed on many occasions on a variety of craft. She will be
joining fellow Team Volvo for life sailors, helming J/80 sportsboats for
the 50-mile race around the Isle of Wight. Shirley plans to compete in the
women’s keelboat discipline at the Beijing Olympic Games but for the
JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race she will be sailing against
her crew rather than with them, since Annie Lush and Lucy MacGregor will
each be heading their own J/80 team. Other skippers in the class include
Helena Lucas, Britain’s top 2.4mR class, single-handed Paralympic sailor,
plus Nick Rogers and Joe Glanfield, who took silver in the 470 class at
Athens.

Record-breaking yachtswoman Dee Caffari is currently preparing for her
next challenge – the Vendee Globe solo, round the world yacht race. Her
Open 60 “Aviva” will also be joining the JPMorgan Asset Management Round
the Island Race fleet but for this event Dee will have the luxury of a
crew, including top UK sailors Miranda Merron and Nigel King.

At 14, Michael Perham broke the record as the youngest person ever to sail
single-handed across the Atlantic. In March, JPMorgan Asset Management
assisted Michael in shipping his boat “Cheeky Monkey” from Antigua back to
Cowes so he can join the race. Michael was also made an Honorary Cadet
Member of the Island Sailing Club and like many other competitors in the
race he will also be raising funds for charity.

This year the ISC and JPMorgan Asset Management will be expanding the
charitable dimension of the race by encouraging all entrants to make their
race count for charity. A bespoke website has been set up to facilitate
this. To register, simply go to http://justgiving.com/roundtheisland .
Competitors can choose any charity although some may want to help fight
cancer by supporting Macmillan, Breast Cancer Care, Prostate Research
Campaign UK and The Ellen MacArthur Trust.

Entries for the race can be made through the website
http://www.roundtheisland.org.uk