Tony Langley wins Gold Roman Bowl

Winners announced at the JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race

The overall winners of the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race have been confirmed, with the 81st edition of the event bringing triumph for boats both large and small.

The winner of the prestigious Gold Roman Bowl for first boat overall on IRC handicap has been announced as Tony Langley’s TP52 Manroland Sheetfed. Competing in IRC 0, Manroland Sheetfed (aka Weapon of Choice) was the second monohull to complete the course, finishing in 4 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds to win on corrected time by just 3 minutes

Langley’s crew held off a strong challenge by last year’s Gold Roman Bowl winner Sundowner. Jo Hutchinson’s Contessa 26 won IRC Division 3D by completing the course in 8 hours, 31 minutes and 17 seconds giving them a corrected time of just 3 minutes and 4 seconds slower than the TP52 and awarding them the Silver Roman Bowl for second overall in IRC.

Sundowner also faced a fierce challenge from another previous winner of the race, Ed Donald’s Madelaine, a Nordic Folkboat that won the Gold Roman Bowl in 2007. Racing in the same class, Madelaine finished just two and a half minutes behind Sundowner on the water, to take third overall on corrected time.

Ben Ainslie and the race crew on board the largest boat ever to compete in the Race, the 162ft Eleonora, had a great day on the water but back on shore the Olympic champion commented that they were unable to notch up a decent overall result and ended up in 47th place in IRC 0. Speaking about his day on the water, and his last big event before the Olympic Games, Ainslie said: “It was a lovely day, a beautiful boat and amazing racing, and totally different to what I’m used to.”