Further applications to compete will now be placed on a reserve list
Entries for the Cowes to Monte Carlo offshore powerboat marathon due to start in June 2013 have now reached the 50 maximum set by the organisers three months ago.
Director of MPA Powerboat Events Mike Lloyd says: “The response to this ambitious event has been quite outstanding.
“Everyone has now paid the first £500 non-refundable deposit currently being used to meet initial expenses associated with our negotiations with the various stopover venues along the 2,400 mile route.”
Many craft entered have a long racing history, some having made their mark over three decades ago.
However, several leading international names from marathon offshore powerboat racing are still missing from the entry list.
New applications will be added to a reserve/standby list as a fleet of 50 craft, some measuring 50ft (15.30m) or more, could prove too large to accommodate at the more active, non-commercial ports in France and Spain.
Although a large proportion of craft will be classics most will be fitted with modern engines which have far greater reliability.
Therefore, judged on the number of finishers in the 2008 Round Britain Race where retirements were surprising low, finding stopover accommodation for a fleet of this size, particularly in the Mediterranean, could prove a problem.
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