Two boats crash into each other and man thrown overboard as brutal gales plunge Isle of Wight annual yacht race into chaos

A popular annual yacht race was plunged into chaos this weekend as extreme weather saw hundreds of sailors drop out of the competition before two boats crashed into each other and a man was thrown overboard.

The Round the Island Race - a one-day yacht race around the Isle of Wight - typically attracts competitors of all abilities from across the world.

But gusts of 54 knots were recorded at The Needles, the most western point of the course, on Saturday morning.

Amid the severe weather conditions, two boats crashed into each other near Yarmouth.

Pictures also captured a distressed crew member clinging to their yellow lifejacket after they were thrown overboard.

The sailor is dwarfed by the waves as he waits to be rescued.

Members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution were on hand to help any participants who got into trouble during the race.

An RNLI spokesman said: 'Lymington RNLI was tasked to reports of a man overboard just off the Needles during the Round the Island Race yesterday. When the crew arrived on scene, the yacht crew had already recovered the person back onto the yacht. Lymington RNLI performed a welfare check on the crew and finding all was well, returned to station.' 

Race organisers were forced to cancel eight classes before the race started.

After eight hours of racing just 61 boats had completed the course.

Around 939 boats were originally entered into the competition but only 153 successfully managed to circumnavigate the island.

Many fleets were forced to retire due to the severe sea state, reporting sail damage.

No other major incidents were reported.

The Round the Island Race is one of the largest yacht races in the world and one of the most well attended sporting events in the UK after the London Marathon.

The race is unique as it pits Olympic sailors against amateurs.

A handicap system means that any boat can win its coveted prize - the Gold Roman Bowl.

Notorious came first this year, skippered and owned by Cowes resident Peter Morton who has won the 50 nautical mile race for a second time.

The monohull completed the course in four hours, 21 minutes and 20 seconds, earning the Gold Roman Bowl.