The Ultimates had a real fight on this 48th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race. The race was an opportunity for Macif (François Gabart) to compete against the other multihulls, which had already competed in the Armen Race
While the blue trimaran has been the leader since passing in front of the Fastnet lighthouse on Sunday 4th August, it has had its hair done at the pole, a few metres from the line by its great rival, Maxi Edmond de Rothschild. A first victory for Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, who are just taking control of their boat. Their running time of 1 day 4 hours 2 minutes and 26 seconds, allows them to improve by 4 hours 45 minutes and 34 seconds the multihull record set by Loïck Peyron and his crew Maxi Banque Populaire in 2011. François Gabart crossed the line only 58 seconds later. Throughout the race, the two trimarans never sailed more than 4 miles apart
" Just after they gybed towards the finish line, we decided to gybe a little later. It was our last chance to get past them. But five minutes before crossing the line, we didn't think it was possible." explained Franck Cammas.
Stefano Gattini
" They moved a little further apart and I thought they seemed to be in a good position. Especially since they were sailing really fast downwind, and I already knew at Cape Lizzard that it would be difficult to contain them. After the last gybe, they were two nautical miles behind and we were between them and the finish line so it didn't look so bad. But they were able to fly while we had a problem with our rake system that we couldn't fix..." explains François Gabart.
However, the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild encountered some problems first by running aground on the Shingles Bank at nearly 25 knots as they were leading the fleet, severely damaging the end of their drift. Finally, a large fish got stuck around the daggerboard just after the passage of the Fatsnet, forcing them to back out of it, being overtaken by the trimaran MACIF.
"It's always nice to beat François, because he's one of the most famous sailors in multihulls, who has a very good boat and a very good team. Our boat is sometimes faster in some conditions, but they have improved in speed and are sailing very well. It was a big fight - very amusante?!" explained Charles Caudrelier, co-skipper of the white and blue trimaran.
Stefano Gattini
Thomas Coville's Sodebo Ultim 3 finished in 3rd position 1 hour 24 minutes behind the leader, slower in the transition last night, allowing the leaders to hit the strong wind first in the Celtic Sea crossing.
