Artemis
OCEAN RACING

World class skippers confirmed for Sprint around the Isle of Wight

The Artemis Challenge at Cowes Week has long attracted some of the biggest names in the Open 60 world.  The 2009 entry list already boasts a fleet of seven boats, including five British skippers, as well as a taste of France and the Basque Country, and more teams are expected to join the line up over the coming weeks.

The race, run by Artemis Investment Management, one of the UK’s leading investment companies, is a 50 mile high speed sprint around the Isle of Wight for IMOCA 60s, with £10,000 donated to the charity of the winning skipper.  The skippers and their teams will be joined by a number of high profile celebrities for the event, which this year will also be an ideal warm up ahead of the Rolex Fastnet Race. The race has quickly become a popular event for skippers and the general public alike, and has bred a strong competition amongst the skippers to take first prize.

The fleet already contains a host of world class sailors with a vast amount of experience and round the world voyages between them.  With a number of other teams close to confirming their entries it will be an intense battle for the coveted trophy and donation to charity. This will be the first time since the Vendée Globe where skippers can get to show their raw boat speed in a quick battle. [...]