SATURDAY saw a to toal of 1,528 yachts entered the 2016 Around The Island (Isle of Wight) Yacht Race.

Because of near gale force winds and testing conditions, several of the small classes were cancelled and many retired from the race.

The commodore of the organising committee, having loaned his yacht out, saw it strike the wreck of the Varvassi off The Needles and sink, thankfully with no loss of life.

Yachts began racing at 08.30, with the first of the 11 scheduled starts, at ten-minute intervals.

The race started from the Royal Yacht Squadron HQ at Cowes, the organisers being the Island Sailing Club.

Snowstorm, from Teignmouth, started at 09.40 hours, with Chris Clarance as owner/skipper at the helm, with Sally his wife, Rob Upton, Andy Cope, Gus Smallwood and Roger Bufton as crew (pictured).

‘With 170 yachts entered on the mile-and-a-quarter start line, one has to hold ones nerve at times, as yachts beat down the Solent towards The Needles,’ said Chris.

‘The race is some 54 miles and this year it took Snowstorm just under eight hours to finish in a race which at times was pounded by heavy seas and by gust of winds in excess of 40 knots.

‘Navigating around the shore of the Island became interesting, too, using the currents and eddies to great effect playing its part in achieving a favourable result.’

Snowstorm was one of only 881 yachts to complete this year, finishing 26th out of the entire fleet.

Snowstorm was placed as ninth from those that started at 09.40 hours, and a further breakdown into subdivisions, showed it finished fourth overall from the 54 who entered in its class.