Rolex Fastnet Race News

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Day Four: Leaders Round Fastnet Rock in IRC Three

Louis-Marie Dussere's JPK 10.80 Raging Bee² rounded the Fastnet Rock in pole position © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com Louis-Marie Dussere's JPK 10.80 Raging Bee² rounded the Fastnet Rock in pole position © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

1000 BST Wednesday 11 August

In the early hours of the fourth day of the Rolex Fastnet Race, Louis-Marie Dussere’s JPK 10.80 Raging Bee² was the first boat in IRC Three to round the Fastnet Lighthouse. Visibility was poor, the wind was strong, but the glow of light from the legendary beacon lit up the breaking waves. Raging Bee² was not alone, the Army Sailing Association’s Sun Fast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier, was just five minutes and 24 seconds behind and it was a mere seven seconds before Alexis Loison & Guillaume Pirouelle, racing JPK 10.30 Léon, rounded the famous landmark. Philippe Girardin’s J/120 Hey Jude was the next to round, just under eight minutes behind Léon. Henry Bomby and Shirley Robertson, racing Sun Fast 3300 Swell, was to follow, posting the fastest time in the fleet from The Lizard. The top five boats on the water rounded the Fastnet Rock within an hour, after two and a half days of gruelling racing.

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Apivia – stand-out IMOCA performance

Rolex Fastnet Race victory in the IMOCA class for the hugely talented Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat on Apivia © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com Rolex Fastnet Race victory in the IMOCA class for the hugely talented Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat on Apivia © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

An exceptional example of an extraordinary boat paired up with a hugely talented crew has been the combination of Apivia with doublehanders Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat competing in this 49th Rolex Fastnet Race. They arrived in Cherbourg early this morning scoring a resounding win in the 13-strong IMOCA fleet. This came as some small vindication after Dalin suffered victory slipping through his fingers in this year’s Vendée Globe after he was first home only to lose the top prize when Yannick Bestaven and Maître CoQ were awarded a time compensation.

Dalin, an anglophile having studied at Southampton University, enjoyed the Rolex Fastnet Race start, seeing old friends as his IMOCA milled around the Solent before the start. Once the gun had gone on Sunday, the foil-born Apivia leapt into action, and compared to her other 60ft IMOCA rivals looked like an 80 footer. Part of this was down to development work since the solo round the world race: “We have new foils and some new sails. You have to keep these boats evolving to stay at the top of your game,” Dalin explained. Passing the Needles, sailing upwind so fast they were flying, Apivia had already pulled out a two mile lead in the IMOCA class.

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Skorpios takes line honours in Cherbourg

Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios took line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race, completing the 695nm course in 2 days, 8 hours, 35 minutes and 5 seconds © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios took line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race, completing the 695nm course in 2 days, 8 hours, 35 minutes and 5 seconds © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios took line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race this evening, after crossing the finish line in Cherbourg at 2015 BST. Their total elapsed time for completing the 695 nautical mile course from Cowes to Cherbourg was 2 days, 8 hours, 33 minutes and 55 seconds.

Competing in her first offshore race, the recently launched Skorpios came through a brutal first 12 hours of the race in good shape. As the breeze softened, Skorpios extended away from her chief rivals for line honours including previous winner George David’s Rambler 88 and the strong IMOCA fleet.

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Day Three: In IRC One Sailplane rounds the Rock in good shape

Matador, Jonas Grander's Elliot 44 racing in IRC One © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com Matador, Jonas Grander's Elliot 44 racing in IRC One © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

1800 BST Tuesday 10 August

The lead in IRC One continues to ebb and flow between Matador and Sailplane, with Pata Negra now showing up to spoil the match race. As the fleet was rounding the Fastnet Rock, on IRC corrected time it was Rob Bottomley’s Mat 12, Sailplane, which held a 10-minute advantage over the new leaderboard interloper, Pata Negra, the Marc Lombard-designed IRC 46 campaigned by Andrew Hall and his son Sam.

Only 40 minutes off the pace is recently overtaken leader, Matador, which rounded the Rock late this afternoon, two miles behind INO XXX, James Neville’s HH42. Jonas Grander, owner of the 44ft Matador, got in touch soon after their milestone moment: “To be honest we’re pleasantly surprised at how we’re going. But we’ve sailed together a lot over the years, and we’re very coordinated as a crew.”

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First MOCRA multihull screams into Cherbourg

Jason Carroll's MOD70 Argo crosses the finish line off the light station on Fort De L'Ouest at 1522 BST © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com Jason Carroll's MOD70 Argo crosses the finish line off the light station on Fort De L'Ouest at 1522 BST © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

While it is hard to draw attention in the Rolex Fastnet Race away from the fast and the glamorous at the front end of the fleet, we must spare a thought for the smaller boats among Sunday’s 337 starters. As the mighty Ultime trimaran Maxi Edmond de Rothschild was arriving in Cherbourg having devoured the 695 mile course in just over one day, Alaistair Cooke’s Sigma 36 Sundance was heading backwards on the tide at 2 knots, unable to round Start Point still with 570 long miles left to sail.

Over the course of today Brian Skeet and Nicolas Malapert racing doublehanded on the Sigma 38 Marta faced a similar problem as they passed Start Point, only to see it again as they were drawn backwards at the mercy of the tide.

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Day Three: British Soldier leads IRC Three into the Celtic Sea

Denis Murphy's Grand Soleil 40, sailing in IRC Three © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com Denis Murphy's Grand Soleil 40, sailing in IRC Three © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

1200 BST Tuesday 10 August

At midday on the third day of the Rolex Fastnet Race, about half of the IRC Three fleet has left the Isles of Scilly to port to race through the Celtic Sea towards the Fastnet Rock.

The Army Sailing Association’s Sun Fast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier, leads the class on the water, just under two miles ahead of Louis-Marie Dussere’s JPK 10.80 Raging Bee². Philippe Girardin’s J/120 Hey Jude is third. The leaders are still beating, but the wind has abated to about ten knots. It must feel almost serene after the pounding taken over the first two days.

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Day Three: Handbrake turns at the Rock for IRC Zero

Lady First 3, Mylius 60 sailed by Jean Pierre Dreau © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com Lady First 3, Mylius 60 sailed by Jean Pierre Dreau © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

1200 BST Tuesday 10 August

The Fastnet Rock has seen a flurry of IRC Zero competitors doing the big handbrake turn this morning along with a bunch of IMOCAs. 

I Love Poland continues to set the pace in IRC Zero, Grzegorz Baranowski’s Volvo Open 70 now holding a six-hour advantage over second placed.

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Slow boats past the Scillies

Thomas Coville’s Sodebo Ultim 3 finished the Rolex Fastnet Race in Cherbourg on Tuesday morning (10 August), completing the 695nm course in 1d 20h 16m 36s © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex Thomas Coville’s Sodebo Ultim 3 finished the Rolex Fastnet Race in Cherbourg on Tuesday morning (10 August), completing the 695nm course in 1d 20h 16m 36s © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

Ironic after Sunday’s brutal start, less than 48 hours in and across the Rolex Fastnet Race fleet competitors have been struggling in light winds, especially around the Traffic Separation Scheme between Land’s End and the Scilly Isles and, for those right at the front of the fleet, off Cherbourg.

Since last night’s arrival of Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, to a tumultuous reception from the assembled crowds in Cherbourg’s Port Chantereyne, this morning two more Ultime maxi-trimarans have finished with Yves le Blevec’s Actual arriving in an elapsed time of 1d 18h 41m 22s, followed by Thomas Coville’s Sodebo Ultim 3 in 1d 20h 16m 36s.

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Day Three: Sunrise v The Crow in IRC Two

Astrid de Vin's Il Corvo, the name means 'The Crow' in Spanish. © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com Astrid de Vin's Il Corvo, the name means 'The Crow' in Spanish. © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

0700 BST Tuesday 10 August

IRC Two is living up to expectations of being a close battle between the JPK 11.80s, a design that has proven highly potent in previous editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race. More surprising is the fact that the French teams are trailing their JPK 11.80 rivals from Great Britain and the Netherlands.

Currently heading the IRC Two standings on corrected time is Tom Kneen’s Sunrise which is engaged in an upwind duel with Astrid de Vin's Il Corvo [Spanish for ‘The Crow’] to the Fastnet Rock, with the British boat six miles ahead of the Dutch and about two hours in front on corrected time.

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Day Three: Raphael leads IRC Four at Land's End

Francois Charles’ Dehler 36 Sun Hill 3 racing in IRC Four ©Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com Francois Charles’ Dehler 36 Sun Hill 3 racing in IRC Four © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

0700 BST 10 August

By the morning of the third day of the Rolex Fastnet Race all of the boats still racing in IRC Four had passed Lyme Bay. The leaders on the water have made Land’s End and are readying themselves to pass the Isles of Scilly and into the Celtic Sea. Ludovic Menahes & David le Goff, racing JPK 10.10 Raphael are still leading on the water; an admirable achievement for one of the smallest boats in the race as well as sailing doublehanded. Harry Heijst’s S&S 41 Winsome has recorded the best 24-hour run in the class and is second on the water having skirted close to the exclusion zone overnight.

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Maxi Edmond de Rothschild establishes new Rolex Fastnet Race record

The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild crew celebrate their latest victory. © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild crew celebrate their latest victory. © Paul Wyeth/pwpictures.com

The extraordinary 32m long Ultime Maxi Edmond de Rothschild showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the fleet in the 49th Rolex Fastnet Race arriving this evening (Monday 9 August) at 20:24:54 BST, setting a new record for the race’s new longer 695 mile course to Cherbourg of 1 days 9 hours 15 minutes and 54 seconds.

As the huge blue and white trimaran arrived in Cherbourg’s Port Chantereyne, the marina was packed with cheering fans of the team and of its famous crew of six led by co-skippers Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier. Also on board were David Boileau, Erwan Israel, Morgan Lagraviere and Yann Riou.

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Skorpios fends off Apivia to be first monohull to the Rock

Russian Dmitry Rybolovlev’s brand new ClubSwan 125 Skorpios became the first monohull to round southwest Ireland’s most famous rock this evening © James Tomlinson Russian Dmitry Rybolovlev’s brand new ClubSwan 125 Skorpios became the first monohull to round southwest Ireland’s most famous rock this evening © James Tomlinson

Almost 10 hours after the lead Ultime trimaran, Russian Dmitry Rybolovlev’s brand new ClubSwan 125 Skorpios became the first monohull to round southwest Ireland’s most famous rock this evening. Due to this year’s mostly upwind conditions being more ‘typically Rolex Fastnet Race’, even the massively fast Skorpios, was unable to better the record monohull time to the Fastnet Rock of 26 hours 45 minutes 47 seconds, set in 2019 by George David’s Rambler 88. Skorpios’ time was 30 hours 38 minutes 43 seconds.

Skorpios rounded just astern of the final Ultime trimaran, the Jacek Siwek-skippered elongated ORMA 60, Ultim’emotion 2, but of more concern was a boat less than half her length nipping at her heels. Although racing outside of the IRC fleet, Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat on the 60ft IMOCA Apivia have done a phenomenal job leading the IMOCA fleet since they charged out of the blustery Solent 24 hours ago. Approaching the Fastnet Rock, the talented Frenchmen, both past class winners in this event, were leading the IMOCA class, 35 miles ahead of second placed Charal, the defending IMOCA champion, sailed by Jérémie Beyou and Christopher Pratt. 

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Day Two: French retirements open up the competition in IRC One

Rob Bottomley's MAT12 Sailplane is second on the water to Matador. © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com Rob Bottomley's MAT12 Sailplane is second on the water to Matador. © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

1800 BST Monday 09 August

The demise of some of the leading contenders in IRC One has thrown the division wide open. As the bulk of this fleet passed the Lizard and closes in on the Land’s End TSS, on corrected time Matador and Sailplane were neck and neck with barely a minute between them. 

On the water, Jonas Grander’s Elliot 44 CR, Matador, is 25 miles in front of Rob Bottomley’s Mat 12, Sailplane, with the Swedish team having already passed Land’s End and moving up the northerly side of the TSS zone, just two miles behind INO XXX, the IRC One frontrunner in terms of distance to the finish. Twice winner of "Offshore sailor of the year" in Sweden, Matador’s crew has competed in several editions of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, the Rolex Middle Sea Race, RORC Caribbean 600 and two Rolex Fastnet Races. So it’s no surprise to see the Swedes near the front in such a challenging first 24 hours at sea.

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Day Two: Pole Position for Baranowski in Big Boat Bonanza

I Love Poland has had an excellent start to the race, currently leading IRC Overall. © James Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com I Love Poland has had an excellent start to the race, currently leading IRC Overall. © James Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

1630 BST Monday 09 August

Just over 24 hours into the race and the heavy weather has made it a big boat bonanza in the race out to the Rock. The Volvo Open 70, I Love Poland, holds the lead in IRC Zero by just over three hours on corrected time. Grzegorz Baranowski’s Polish crew, the line honours winner from the 2020 Rolex Middle Sea Race, is also at the head of IRC Overall. 

The VO70 may be more than 70 nautical miles behind Skorpios on the water, but in terms of corrected time the Poles are doing well on the long port fetch out to the Fastnet Rock, considering the lack of waterline length compared with the two boats ahead of her. Rambler 88 is second overall under IRC, more than four hours ahead of her giant rival for line honours, the ClubSwan 125 Skorpios. Also vying for the top three in IRC Zero is Germany boat Varuna, Jen’s Kellinghusen’s Ker 56. 

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