Winners of this year’s Round the Island Race will each be given an ultra-rugged watch by British brand Elliot Brown.
The annual race, organised by the Island Sailing Club, is a one-day sprint around the Isle of Wight.
The race regularly attracts over 1,200 boats and around 10,000 sailors, making it one of the largest yacht races in the world and the fourth largest participation sporting event in the UK after the London Marathon and the Great North and South Runs.
Elliot Brown Watches will be awarding Bloxworth Heritage Diver Watches to the winners.
A few years ago, the Poole-based watch manufacturer put one of their watches through the ultimate test by strapping it to the bow of a boat competing in the Clipper Round The World Yacht Race.
After 50,000 nautical miles, crossing six oceans and encountering everything mother nature has in her arsenal, the boat completed the race and the team inspected the watch.
It survived punishing storms, hurricane force-winds, massive waves, extreme heat, shocks including a yacht knockdown, vibration, freezing cold temperatures and corrosive saltwater during its 11-month epic voyage.
The watch is still ticking, living up to the company’s motto: ‘Built to go the distance’.
