Just a few days before his participation in a two handed race round Britain and Ireland, Pete Goss will be joining the 1,634 boats entered in this year’s JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race.

Goss hit the headlines in 1997, following a piece of outstanding seamanship during that year’s Vendee Globe race. Pete turned his 50ft monohull ‘Aqua Quorum’ round, to sail back 160 miles into 60-knot headwinds to answer the Mayday call put out by fellow competitor Raphael Dinelli. He reached the Frenchman just before his yacht sank and picked Dinelli up from his liferaft.

The JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race marks Goss’ return to competitive sailing. The boat is a brand-new trimaran SeaCart 30, made entirely of carbonfibre with a 50 foot mast. At 30ft loa and with outstanding performance ‘Cornwall Playing for Success’ is somewhat enigmatic – a cross between a small yacht and a maxi dinghy.

Goss will be racing with Paul Larsen, Andy Hindley, Helena Darvelid and Yachting World journalist Elaine Bunting. They will also be testing a tracker device which will follow the boat’s progress on Goss’ website. Commenting, Goss said: “The whole aim of our current project is to support the charity Cornwall Playing for Success through the Round Britain and Ireland race. The JPMorgan Asset Management Round the Island Race is a good work-up for the boat. We won’t push too hard as the RBI is just a week away.” Cornwall Playing for Success is a national, out-of-school-hours education initiative aimed to help children with unrealised potential.