Artemis Challenge line-up

Preview on the Cowes Week IMOCA 60 round the island lap

The Artemis Challenge at Cowes Week, the annual IMOCA 60 sprint round the Isle of Wight, has this year attracted an impressive line up of entries from across Europe. Accompanied by celebrity guests, some of the biggest names in ocean racing will battle it out in a high adrenaline 50 mile race round the island, competing for a £10,000 charity prize fund.

Flying the British flag will be Artemis Ocean Racing helmed by double Olympic medallist Simon Hiscocks. They will be joined on the start line by West Country sailor Steve White aboard Toe in the Water who impressively completed the last Vendee Globe against the odds.

Sole female skipper Dee Caffari will compete in the Artemis Challenge in Gaes Centros Auditivos having recently joined the Spanish-based team. Up against the strong British contingent will be sailing legend Roland Jourdain on Veolia Environment who with over 20 years experience on the circuit, has gathered an impressive list of line honours. Arnaud Boissières skippering Akena Verandas makes the journey to Cowes for this event for the second year while Ryan Breymaier and Boris Herrmann, who will later this year compete in the Barcelona World Race, will join the fray aboard VE1 for the first time.

The event, now in its fourth year, will take place on Tuesday 3 August. The Artemis Challenge at Cowes Week is recognised as a key event of the Cowes Week regatta, one of the UK’s longest running and most successful sporting events which attracts thousands of spectators each year. The Artemis Challenge, sponsored by Artemis Investment Management, one of the UK’s leading investment companies and the largest British sponsor in offshore sailing, is a magnificent spectacle, showcasing the best of offshore racing within easy reach of spectators.