The Van Isle 360 International Yacht Race has announced that the 2011 race is officially sold out.
"In addition to the 40 boat limit we managed to squeeze in a couple of extras, bringing the total number of boats to 42," says race chairman Wayne Gorrie. "We had an overwhelming response this year but unfortunately we were not able to accommodate all the sailors wanting to compete. We hope they will consider joining us for 2013,"states Gorrie.
The 42 boats, which range from 25 to 65 feet, if tied end for end approximates 1,650 feet which is tied with the 2007 race for the same overall length and same number of boats. "We have an awesome fleet this year." Gorrie says. "Overall the fleet as a whole is much faster than any other year and the competition is much tighter. "We have the top sailors on the coast competing this year. Watching the start in Nanaimo Harbour on June the 4 is going to be quite a spectacle. You won't want to miss it." Gorrie notes that another interesting statistic is that almost half the fleet this year are new boats (new to the event) with new skippers and crews. "It's good for the event to have a mix of newbies in with seasoned veterans - it shows growth and a future for the race," Gorrie says.
Returning to the race is Tripp Tease, representing the Comox Bay Sailing Club, skippered by Frank Denton. The Van isle 360 is a yacht race circumnavigating Vancouver Island in a series of 10 legs. The eighth running of the event takes place June 4-18. The race has been running since 1999. For a complete list of competitors and other interesting information log onto www.vanisle360.com.