Instigated by Blondie Hasler, the Royal Western Yacht Club has hosted the Round Britain and Ireland race every four years since 1966. The course, about 2000 nautical miles, is split into five legs. These are separated by compulsory stops of 48 hours each at Kinsale in Ireland, Castle Bay, Barra in the Outer Hebrides, Lerwick in Shetland, and Lowestoft on the East Coast...This is Shetland Islands Council's second time sponsoring the RB&amp;I, having first sponsored the race in 2006. &nbsp;Shetland is one of the best kept maritime secrets and provides a beautiful setting to sail and explore one of nature's most beautiful coastlines. The stunning Shetland coastline stretches for 900 miles and boasts 35 marinas and berthing places.The Islands are renowned for providing visitors with a warm welcome with plenty of good food. The 35 marinas provide great value in terms of berthing costs and facilities, with prices starting at just &pound;5 per night...For more information on Shetland go to www.SHETLAND.org..Contact Details: info@shetland.org or 01595 989898.