Victory in the Ultims duel and Fastnet record
The Fastnet race began on Saturday, July 22, 2023, at 2 pm French time, and was completed by the end of the weekend by the Ultim trimarans, with victory in Cherbourg for the crew of François Gabart and Tom Laperche, who arrived at 9:38 pm. The sailors set a new course record for this 50th edition, clocking in at 1 day, 8 hours 38 minutes and 27 seconds, bettering Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas' time of 2021 by 36 minutes and 27 seconds.
The fleet of giant 32-meter trimarans was limited at the start of the event in Cowes. Indeed, only SVR Lazartigue and Armel Le Cléac'h's Banque Populaire XI lined up, the other main competitors in the Ultim class, including the defending Maxi Edmond de Rotschild, being under construction following winter record campaigns.
1st victory a sign of maturity
While the autumn of 2023 and winter of 2024 will be marked by two key events, the double-handed Transat Jacques Vabre and the first edition of the Arkea Ultim Challenge, the first multihull round-the-world race, SVR Lazartigue is taking advantage of the Rolex Fastnet to score its first victory since launching in 2021. Tom Laperche, who will be at the helm single-handed, knows he can count on a reliable boat, after having tackled difficult sea and wind conditions, upwind, with more than 40 knots, as the English Channel knows how to offer. He's also boosting his confidence, although the competition with Armel Le Cléac'h has remained constant, and the absence of Gitana, which has swept all before it in recent years, puts a damper on the results.
