Fortis Marine at the Round the Island Race 2026
Fortis Marine at the Round the Island Race 2026
The Round the Island Race once again delivered a fantastic day of sailing, with sunshine, favourable conditions and around 800 boats taking to the water for one of the UK’s most iconic yacht races.
One of the highlights of this year’s event was seeing around 24 X-Yachts on the start line, reflecting the strong sailing community that Fortis Marine is proud to support.
Members of the Fortis Marine team were proud to be part of the action. Julien Renault raced aboard the X4.3 MKII Kimanche Eve, while Stuart Abernethy competed on the X4.3 MKII Xenia. Together with XC47 Silver Fox, they formed Team X-Yachts, securing an impressive 2nd place overall in the Team Competition.
A special congratulations goes to the owners and crew of X4.0 Wight Paradox, who also claimed 1st place in ISC 5A. Having purchased the yacht in 2024 as Jon and Caroline Parr’s retirement “learn to sail” project, this year’s Round the Island Race marked their first entry as boat owners, making their class victory an even more memorable achievement.
Congratulations also to the crew of X-99 2XS on an excellent 4th place in IRC 2, while the two X4.3 MKII yachts, Kimanche Eve and Xenia, finished just minutes apart, highlighting both the consistency of the design and the skill of their crews.
As always, the results tell only part of the story. What really stood out was the atmosphere throughout the day—from catching up on the dock before the start to sharing stories after crossing the finish line. It’s this sense of camaraderie that makes the Round the Island Race such a special event year after year.
At Fortis Marine, we’re proud to support owners at every stage of their sailing journey, whether they’re racing around the Isle of Wight, cruising the South Coast or preparing for their next adventure. Seeing so many of our clients out on the water doing what they love is what it’s all about.
Congratulations to everyone who took part. We hope you enjoyed a fantastic day on the water, and we look forward to seeing many of you throughout the rest of the sailing season.
