Honours to Zoulou, skippered by 84-year-old Peter Cunningham

Race Overview & Fleet

• Held on Saturday 7 June 2025, this iconic 50.1 nm race once again launched from Cowes with over 800 boats competing across classes.
• A mix of family crews, school yachts, club racers, and top-tier skippers from across the UK took on the challenge — the energy ashore and afloat was buzzing.
• Weather-wise, mild conditions and light winds prevailed; thunder showers loomed but largely held off — a blessing compared to the Friday forecasts.

Line Honours & Race Results

• Line honours went to Zoulou, skippered by 84-year-old Peter Cunningham, completing the circuit in 3 h 26 m 20 s
• Ocean 11 followed as second boat across the line, with a time of 3 h 55 m 18 s

A Remarkable Sail

• The sight of Peter Cunningham at the helm at age 84 brought cheers from the crowd. Crew skipper Ned Collier-Wakefield said,
“To get line honours for Peter and to have him helm all the way round at 84 was fantastic. He had a massive smile on his face when we crossed the line – a very happy boss.” 


Community & Camaraderie

• Race Director Dave Atkinson noted that,
“We had very few issues on the water… lots of sub‑races happening, with families, schools and groups of friends all trying to beat each other… that’s what makes this race special.” 

• Friendly competition between crews — from seasoned racers to first-timers — kept the spirit alive across the fleet.

Full-Time Reference

• Zoulou — 3:26:20 — Line honours winner
• Ocean 11 — 3:55:18 — Second across the line A full breakdown of class standings and corrected-time results (IRC, multihull, youth, etc.) is published on the Isle of Wight Round the Island Race official site under “Results Archive”

What Makes It Special

• Mass participation: with over 800 entries it remains one of the world’s largest yacht races by vessel count .
• Inter-generational racing: from top-tier competitors to family crews, the race brings everyone together — exemplified by Zoulou’s veteran helm
• Community spirit: robust camaraderie, sub-regattas, school teams, and charitable entries are core to its enduring success.