The mythical Rolex Fastnet Race - which consists of reaching Plymouth from Cowes (Isle of Wight), rounding the mythical Fastnet lighthouse in the south of Ireland - is a 605 mile course in the Solent which brings together each year various boats and winners. And the recipe has been successful since 1925! The proof, for this 47th edition, the limit of 340 boats was reached in just 4 minutes and 24 seconds, a new record! Whereas when it was created, there were only seven boats... Today it is one of the most important ocean races in terms of participation. And the participants are varied: from maxi-multihulls to the fastest monohulls in the world, sailing in crewed or solo configuration, but also racing-cruising yachts, which make up the majority of the IRC class.
Gathered in Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, the 2700 sailors await the start of the classic, which will take place at 12 noon (local time). Of the 390 boats - 338 in IRC competition and the rest competing in their own class (Volvo Ocean 65, IMOCA60, maxi-multihull or Class40) entered in this edition (from 29 nations), some are aiming for the podium and the Cup, while others are just hoping to make it safely to Plymouth.
Also noteworthy is the participation of 34 Class40 (the most important class of the race), with professional sailors and enthusiastic amateurs, including Louis Duc's brand new Carac (150). It is also one of the most international fleets - the majority French, but also competitors from Russia and Japan, Sweden, Norway, Austria, the Netherlands, South Africa and Oman.
You don't have to be the first to get to Plymouth to win. You'll have to achieve the best compensated time to win the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Trophy.
A dress rehearsal for the Volvo Ocean Race
This 47th edition of the Rolex Fastnet will serve as a dress rehearsal for the seven Volvo Ocean 65s that will set sail from Alicante on October 22nd. The race is part of the Leg Zero, a four-part warm-up for the competitors in the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18. This is the first time that the one-design fleet has lined up at the start of the legendary English race. The Fastnet is an opportunity for the seven teams engaged in the next round the world crewed race to compete in contact for three days.
"The battle should be close with our competitors." says New Zealand's Daryl Wislang, watch leader on board Dongfeng . " In the last Volvo Ocean Race, even after sailing more than 6,500 miles (12,000 km) on one leg, the boats arrived with only a 10-minute gap. So on a short course like the Fastnet, it shouldn't be any different."
A qualification for the Transat Jacques Vabre
There are nine IMOCA boats taking the start of the Rolex Fastnet, double-handed, and they have been together since the last Vendée Globe. And in particular, the three IMOCA hydrofoil boats that made up the podium in the single-handed round the world race:
- Initiative-Coeur (former Master Rooster and 3rd in the Vendée Globe) led in double-handed races by Tanguy de Lamotte (twice winner in Class 40') and Samantha Davies (who has been taking part since 1995),
- Bureau Vallée 2 (ex-Banque Populaire and winner of the Vendée Globe in the hands of Armel le Cléac'h) will be helmed by Louis Burton and Servane Escoffier.
- Hugo Boss will be led by Alex Thomson and Irish sailor Nicholas O'Leary.
We will also find StMichel-Virbac (Jean-Pierre Dick and Yann Eliès), La Mie Câline - Artipôle (Arnaud Boissières), Generali (Isabelle Joschke), Malizia (Boris Heermann), Karakoram (Yoann Richomme) and SMA (Paul Meilhat).
Some will be coming to play their part in qualifying for the Transat Jacques Vabre, like Sam and Tanguy aboard the red and white IMOCA or even St-Michel Virbac.
A triple for France?
France represents the second largest number of participants (after England) with 13% of the fleet under the tricolour colours. And over the last two editions, French crews have won this race across the Channel on JPK 10.10 (Lorient): Night and Day, skippered by Alexis Loison and his father Pascal, in 2013, and Courrier du Léon skippered by Gery Trentesaux, in 2015.
