Entries are now open for the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race, which takes place on 30 June. The first entry was received by the ISC at 12.04am after entries opened at midnight on 20 January.

The entry came from Inseyandra, a Bavaria 46, owned and skippered by Martin Thomas, who just pipped Ben Ainslie CBE to the post as the triple Olympic gold medallist filed his race entry just two minutes later.

Ben Ainslie will skipper J.P. Morgan Asset Management Winston (GBR 2806L), a very competitive Beneteau First 40, and this will be the only time he will compete outside of the Finn class before the Olympic Games. Ben has the personal support of the race’s title sponsor, J.P. Morgan Asset Management, which is sponsoring the event for the eighth year.

The first race start is scheduled for 0700 on 30 June. Early bird entries close at midnight on 25 February.

The golden boy of British sailing has set his sights on America’s Cup glory, with the announcement of his intention to skipper a new team for the AC World Series, along with plans to join ORACLE Racing for the defence of the 34th America’s Cup.

The team, known as Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR), will compete in the 2012/13 America’s Cup World Series, with that campaign beginning as soon as Ainslie finishes his 2012 Olympic event in the Finn class.

The new global America’s Cup World Series circuit attracts some of the best fleet and match race sailors in the world to compete in high speed 45 foot wing-sailed catamarans, fore-runners to the next generation of America’s Cup boats. The series will provide a perfect testing ground for Ainslie, who has also confirmed his plan to challenge for the 35th America’s Cup, following the conclusion of the 34th Cup in San Francisco in 2013.  

The UK round of the award-winning Extreme Sailing Series™, now in its sixth year, will be staged in Cardiff on 24-27 August.

The Extreme 40 catamarans, raced by many of the world’s best sailors, will race on Cardiff Bay over four days, with the event open to the public between the 25-27 August as the Extreme 40 fleet race in the circuit’s action packed ‘stadium’ format.

Taking part will be an impressive set of sailors from all over the globe, including skippers Ian Williams (GBR), Roman Hagara (AUT), Pierre Pennec (FRA), Ernesto Bertarelli (SUI) and Morgan Larson (USA).

Environment Minister Richard Benyon has announced that £1 billion of Government help will be given to The Canal & River Trust, the new charity which will be responsible for looking after England and Wales’ network of 200-year old canals and rivers.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon said, “The Canal & River Trust will be a national trust for the waterways, maintaining and restoring 2,000 miles of heritage sites, wildlife habitats and open spaces so that we can all enjoy them for generations to come. Bringing our waterways into the Big Society puts decision-making into the hands of the thousands of people who cherish the waterways near their homes. Our £1 billion investment will get this new charity off to the strongest start possible, and let local communities and volunteers shape the future of our world-famous waterways.”