Matt Neal, Gordon Shedden and Tom Chilton crossed the line second in class aboard their yacht in yesterday’s mammoth seven-hour Round the Island Race off the shores of the Isle of Wight.

Nearly 2000 crews split into classes contested the 55-mile race, also contested by the likes of Formula 1 hero Lewis Hamilton and world record-breaking sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur.

The three HiQ MSA British Touring Car Championship stars, swapping their nomex suits for Helly Hanson yachting gear, were aboard the 50ft Capricorno, overseen by title-winning skipper John Tidlesley. Joining them were former BTCC racers James Kaye and Dave Pinkney.

On Friday, the trepid trio had also taken to the waves for a practice run with MacArthur, treble Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie and double Olympic medallist Shirley Robertson.

The race was full of incident: one boat sank, another overturned and capsized, four suffered broken masts, five were grounded and another five needed towing back to shore. Eleven crew also fell overboard.

But after seven hours of choppy waters the BTCC crew were on the crest of a wave as they crossed the line in the runners-up spot.

Source btcc.net