THE current monohull record held by Mike Slade's Skandia Life Leopard of 4hr 5m 40secs does not look like being threatened in the 67th Round-the-Island race off the Isle of Wight tomorrow.

Almost 1,500 yachts from 20ft up to 129ft will cross the start line off Cowes beginning at 6.30am and running through until 8am.

With no new records forecast, there will be plenty of other attractions to turn heads.

Ben Ainslie, someone who has sailed on the Solent for most of his young life, will be competing in his first Round-the-Island Race.

He will steer Volvo For Life-Team Tonic with fellow Olympic gold medalist and Cowes sailor Shirley Robertson trimming the mainsheet. Paul Goodison from Lymington, who is ranked number one in Britain in the Laser class, will also be on board.

Ex-England rugby player Jeremy Guscott has been invited on the Farr 52 boat as part of BBC TV's Grandstand coverage.

Two other celebrities competing include two children's television presenters, Fran Beauman and Ania Dykczak from 'Bring It On'.

They have taken on the challenge as complete novices to be race ready in five days.

Neither had set foot in a boat prior to this week when the pair had tuition at the UKSA in Cowes.

Ellen MacArthur has also been giving them some tips and tomorrow they will compete in the Sportsboat class.

Emma Richards, the Hamble-based Around Alone yachtswoman, will be taking a Europrix 45 loaded with Team New Zealand America's Cup sailors round the island. Co-helm for the day is Mike Sanderson, who has three America's Cups to his credit.

Aside from the long list of high profile names in the sailing world that come out to compete, the beloved race is there to be enjoyed by all abilities.

Known for its festival spirit, we will see families and no doubt some rookies chancing their arms at the record.

In recent years maverick asymmetric dinghies such as the Laser 5000, 49er and Ultra 30 have been spotted cheekily sliding past the heavier old gaffers.

As usual, the multihulls will receive the first gun at 6.30am followed by the Old Gaffers and Etchells before launching into the Sportsboat, Hunter 707s and Dragons and on into the IRC 1 class at 7.10am with the large monohulls vying for the record.

The final gun will go off at 8am for the Nicholson 32, Folkboat and unrated Group 4.

The J-Class Velsheda will be contesting for line honours, as will Sir Robin Knox-Johnston racing 'Suhaili', the yacht he famously sailed single-handedly and non-stop around the globe.

In 1969 Robin brought 'Suhaili' back into Falmouth at the completion of her epic 312-day voyage to win the Sunday Times Golden Globe Trophy.

The Gold Roman Bowl, the coveted trophy for the IRC division, will be hotly contested.

Lymington yacht designer Simon Rogers, brother David and father Jeremy won last year by a mere 17 seconds.

The RTI race prizegiving will take place at 12 noon on Sunday at the Island Sailing Club, where Emma Richards will be presenting the trophies.

ROUND-THE-ISLAND SCHEDULE

0630 start Multihulls

0650 Original and Modern Gaffers; Challenge yachts

0700 Etchells, SBR, Hunter 707s, Dragons

0710 IRC Group 1 (including Velsheda)

0720 ISC Group 1; Sunsail 37s

0730 IRC Group 2

0740 IRC Group 3; Contessa 32s; Sonatas

0750 ISC Group B; Classic Racing Yachts

0800 ISC Group C; Folkboats, Nicholson 32s

Pointers to look out for - high water at Portsmouth is 05.02.

At the beginning of the Neap tides, the tidal stream to the west will moderate to between one and one and a half knots.

You must hold back on those overly keen starts as the race officers will reprimand you sorely.

The Needles will see close to low water when the mainstay of the fleet rounds it, so give the wreck of the Varvassi a wide berth.