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Franco-Brit Luke Berry claims Rolex Fastnet Race Class40 honours

Class winner Luke Berry's Lamotte-Module Création takes the Rock in its stride © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex Class winner Luke Berry's Lamotte-Module Création takes the Rock in its stride © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

One of the tightest competitions in the 48th Rolex Fastnet Race was between the 18 Class40s. While they, like the IMOCA 60s, are due to be competing in this autumn’s Transat Jacques Vabre these box rule based fliers, the most successful 40ft racing yachts of all time (with hulls 158 and 159 soon to launch), were being sailed fully crewed (ie four up) to class rules, boat-on-boat, independent of the IRC fleet.

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Trentesaux works his Fastnet magic one last time (probably!)

Fastnet legend Géry Trentesaux and his experienced crew on Courrier Recommandé celebrate another successful race in which they have secured another class win © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com Fastnet legend Géry Trentesaux and his experienced crew on Courrier Recommandé celebrate another successful race in which they have secured another class win © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

The JPK 11.80 Courrier Recommandé arrived at 11:23:50 this morning, another barnstorming performance by the Fastnet magician Géry Trentesaux. Time and again the Frenchman has proven that he understands this race perhaps better than any other as he rounds off his high-level racing career with almost certain victory in IRC Two.

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Just when they thought it was safe...

L'Ange De Milon, owned by Jacques Pelletier, is topping the IRC One leaderboard of the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex L'Ange De Milon, owned by Jacques Pelletier, is topping the IRC One leaderboard of the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

Tuesday 6 August - IRC One

Just when we thought this was looking a benefit race for the bigger boats, last night’s arrivals and previous leaders of IRC One - Tonnerre de Glen and Ino XXX - have been upstaged by two smaller rivals - L’Ange de Milon and Lann Ael 2 - who moored up in Plymouth around midday today.

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Buzz at the Bar

Buzz, Ross Hobson's Seacart 30, smallest multihull in the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com Buzz, Ross Hobson's Seacart 30, smallest multihull in the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com

The Fastnet Race Village is a hive of activity and sailors in the 48th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race return from their endeavours. Every team has their story and many are greeted by friends and family who have been watching the race unfold.

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Big boat race on the cards as the Plymouth deluge begins

Dominique Tian's Tonnerre de Glen rounds the Fastnet Rock at sunset © Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex Dominique Tian's Tonnerre de Glen rounds the Fastnet Rock at sunset © Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex

Like a tap slowly being turned on, the quantity of Rolex Fastnet Race boats arriving in Plymouth has been steadily increasing since yesterday afternoon, with crews clambering off boats into the welcoming arms of the race office before heading for a beer in the race village.

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Charal shakes off competition to claim Rolex Fastnet Race honours

IMOCA 60 Charal, skippered by Jeremie Beyo, takes the hard-fought class win in the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com IMOCA 60 Charal, skippered by Jeremie Beyo, takes the hard-fought class win in the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

While IMOCA 60s are renowned for racing non-stop around the world in the Vendée Globe, the doublehanded crews of these extraordinary space-age craft appreciate the Rolex Fastnet Race as it offers most conditions of a round the world race within just a few days.

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Doublehanded leaders round the Fastnet Rock

Two-handed class leader at the Rock, JPK 10.30 Léon is skippered by Alexis Loison - 2013 winner of the 2013 Fastnet Challenge Cup and Jean-Pierre Kelbert of JPK - maker of the boat © Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex Two-handed class leader at the Rock, JPK 10.30 Léon is skippered by Alexis Loison - 2013 winner of the 2013 Fastnet Challenge Cup and Jean-Pierre Kelbert of JPK - maker of the boat © Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex

Monday 5 Aug PM - IRC Two-Handed 

With 63 teams starting the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race in the IRC Two-Handed division, Robin Verhoef & John Van Der Starre's racing J/122 Ajeto! was the first to round the Fastnet Rock at 16:18:36 on Monday 05 August, in an elapsed time of 2 days, 2 hrs, 48 mins and 36 secs.

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Sorcha wins her battle with Jethou

Sir Peter Ogden's Mini Maxi Jethou rounds the Fastnet Rock and makes for Plymouth © Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex Sir Peter Ogden's Mini Maxi Jethou rounds the Fastnet Rock and makes for Plymouth © Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex

Monday 5 August PM - IRC Zero, One and Two

While all the big news has been going on in Plymouth today with the line honours victory of Rambler 88 and Wizard’s fast finish making her look like a hot candidate for overall victory, the vast majority of the fleet continues to battle away in the Celtic Sea.

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Wizard looking like a winner

The crew of Wizard at the finish of the Rolex Fastnet Race in which they have put in a strong performance to contend for IRC Overall © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com The crew of Wizard at the finish of the Rolex Fastnet Race in which they have put in a strong performance to contend for IRC Overall © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

You won’t get co-owners David and Peter Askew to acknowledge it, but all the talk around the Fastnet Race Village is that Wizard is looking like a shoo-in for overall race winner on IRC handicap.

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David beats Goliath in the battle for line honours in the monohulls

David and Goliath on the start line of the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex David and Goliath on the start line of the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

It has been a big morning in Plymouth with Rambler 88 taking monohull line honours, closely followed by arch-rival 100ft SHK Scallywag, and the VO70 Wizard scorching in behind the front two and looking like a very good bet for victory in IRC overall in this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race.

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Rambler 88 claims consecutive monohull line honours

Rambler 88 set a new monohull record from Cowes to the Fastnet Rock and finished to claim monohull line honours © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex Rambler 88 set a new monohull record from Cowes to the Fastnet Rock and finished to claim monohull line honours © Kurt Arrigo/Rolex

Rambler 88 has won monohull line honours this morning, after crossing the Plymouth finish line at 09:55:02. American Owner George David and his all-star crew were delighted to have beaten their rivals on the 100-footer SHK Scallywag to the punch.

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Bumpy ride to the Rock

IRC Three and Four are making their way towards the Fastnet Rock IRC Three and Four are making their way towards the Fastnet Rock

Monday 05 Aug 0900 - IRC Three and IRC Four

The vast majority of the Rolex Fastnet Race armada racing in IRC Three and IRC Four passed the Isles of Scilly on the second night of the race. As they enter the Celtic Sea they are in for a bumpy ride.

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