Fastnet Race Big Boat Placings Change in Light Winds of Final Stage

11th August 2021

The 140ft Skorpios has the sun on her back and the breeze on her beam as she finishes as first mono-hull in the Rolex Fastnet Race at Cherbourg last night Credit: Paul Wyeth

Day 4 0900: As Afloat reported last night, Dmitry Rybolovlev's ClubSwan 125 Skorpios took line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race yesterday (Tuesday) evening, after crossing the finish line in Cherbourg at 2015 BST.

Their total elapsed time for completing the new 695 nautical mile course from Cowes to Cherbourg was 2 days, 8 hours, 35 minutes, and 5 seconds.

The new Skorpios came through a brutal first 12 hours of the race in good shape, a significant credit to her builder Killian Bushe of Cork, who was at the heart of creating this 140ft behemoth in a 44-month work programme.

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 60 fleet, whose boats admittedly are less than half Skorpios' overall length.

With a slackening southwest to west wind in the final approaches to the finish, long-standing places were changed as the very fully crewed Rambler 88 managed to get past the Imoca 60 Apivia (Charlie Dalin & Paul Meilhat) for the second-in-monohull line honours slot, with Rambler crossing at 03:25 this morning (Wednesday) while Apivia was across at 04:16.

Dmitry Rybolovlev’s ClubSwan 125 Skorpios, skippered by Fernando Echavarri Photo: Paul Wyeth

All three leading monohulls have already left Cherbourg for their base ports as the most straightforward way to comply with COVID-19 regulations. This means that as the bulk of the racers reach the finish towards the end of the week, the fleet gathered will not be fully representative of those who took on the Fastnet challenge, but in the circumstances, it has been a remarkable achievement that 335 compliant boats were able to start from the Solent on Sunday.

Today the main focus of interest will be on how the light south-westerly winds in the English Channel towards Cherbourg and the finish are affecting the rankings, with the fleet in the Fastnet Rock area – after sailing for a day in a firm sou'wester – now having to contend with a frontal system which is swinging the wind into the northwest for a while before tomorrow (Thursday) sees it backing again to stronger winds from the southwest.

The HH42 InoXXX (James Grevillle) is now IRC Overall Leader in the Fastnet Race after a major re-shuffling of the leaderboard during the night. Photo RORC/Paul Wyeth

Meanwhile, this morning's new circumstances have panned out very neatly for British skipper James Greville's HH42 Ino XXX, which has punched above her weight throughout the race without featuring unduly on any podiums to which she might have entitled. Yet now, due south of Land's End, she's making eastward at a brisk 13.7 knots and has leapt into both the IRC1 and the IRC Overall leads.

Second in IRC 1 and close south of the Isles of Scilly is the Swedish Elliott 44 Matador, 22 miles astern of Ino XXX, while Andrew Hall of Pwllheli SC with the Lombard 46 Pata Negra – IRC1 leader at the Fastnet – is now fifth in IRC1.

Nieulargo (RCYC) racing off Cork Harbour. She rounded the Fastnet Rock in the small hours of this morning at almost exactly the time predicted while she was still way back south of Land's End. Photo: Robert Bateman

Irish interest in the small dark hours of this morning was focusing on Cork's own Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo getting round the Fastnet, and she did so at 03:27, comfortably within the time estimate area given by Nin O'Leary off Land's End yesterday (Tuesday).

They got to the Rock three hours ahead of the veering which will consolidate their position on boats astern, but offwind sailing is not Nieulargo's greatest strength against more modern and much lighter boats. She was doing best – and very well at that – when it was rugged work direct to windward, but nevertheless, she still holds eighth position in class, where the leader persists in being Alexis Loison in Leon.

In IRC 4, Irish Offshore Sailing of Dun Laoghaire's Sunfast 37 Desert Star is in the final miles to rounding the Fastnet, and it was 0645 as the weather front began to go through in her area to bring headwinds for a mercifully brief period. She has been going well, and has moved up two places to 11th in Class.

There may not be many Figaro 3 boats racing, but Kenneth Rumball of Dun Laoghaire and Pamela Lee of Greystones have a lead of better than an hour over the next one, and are more than a third of the way down the long leg to the Isles of Scilly after rounding the Fastnet at 01:00.

Kenneth Rumball and Pamela Lee on the Figaro 3 RL Sailing rounded the Fastnet at one o'clock this (Wednesday) morning

The light airs in the midst of the English Channel have churned the placings big time. Yesterday evening we left the fleet with the two Polish former Volvo 70s, I Love Poland and Sailing Poland, lying first and second on IRC overall, a remarkable national showing. But now they're back in 6th and 12th, with 25 and 35 miles respectively still to sail to the finish. And there's an even longer way to go before the final placings can get posted in this most complex of races.

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The 50th edition of the 700-mile race organised by the Royal Ocean Racing Club starts from Cowes, Isle of Wight, on Saturday, 22nd July.

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About The Author

WM Nixon

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William M Nixon has been writing about sailing in Ireland for many years in print and online, and his work has appeared internationally in magazines and books. His own experience ranges from club sailing to international offshore events, and he has cruised extensively under sail, often in his own boats which have ranged in size from an 11ft dinghy to a 35ft cruiser-racer. He has also been involved in the administration of several sailing organisations.

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RORC Fastnet Race

This race is both a blue riband international yachting fixture and a biennial offshore pilgrimage that attracts crews from all walks of life:- from aspiring sailors to professional crews; all ages and all professions. Some are racing for charity, others for a personal challenge.

For the world's top professional sailors, it is a 'must-do' race. For some, it will be their first-ever race, and for others, something they have competed in for over 50 years! The race attracts the most diverse fleet of yachts, from beautiful classic yachts to some of the fastest racing machines on the planet – and everything in between.

The testing course passes eight famous landmarks along the route: The Needles, Portland Bill, Start Point, the Lizard, Land’s End, the Fastnet Rock, Bishop’s Rock off the Scillies and Plymouth breakwater (now Cherbourg for 2021 and 2023). After the start in Cowes, the fleet heads westward down The Solent, before exiting into the English Channel at Hurst Castle. The finish for 2021 is in Cherbourg via the Fastnet Rock, off the southern tip of Ireland.

The leg across the Celtic Sea to (and from) the Fastnet Rock is known to be unpredictable and challenging. The competitors are exposed to fast-moving Atlantic weather systems and the fleet often encounter tough conditions

Flawless decision-making, determination and total commitment are the essential requirements. Crews have to manage and anticipate the changing tidal and meteorological conditions imposed by the complex course

The symbol of the race is the Fastnet Rock, located off the southern coast of Ireland. Also known as the Teardrop of Ireland, the Rock marks an evocative turning point in the challenging race

Once sailors reach the Fastnet Rock, they are well over halfway to the finish in Cherbourg.

Fastnet Race - FAQs

When is the next Fastnet Race?

The 49th edition of the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race will start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, UK on Sunday 8th August 2021.

What's new about the 2021 Fastnet Race?

The next two editions of the race in 2021 and 2023 will finish in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin at the head of the Normandy peninsula, France

What will the fleet size be for the 2021 Fastnet Race?

Over 300. A record fleet is once again anticipated for the world's largest offshore yacht race.

Who races in the Fastnet Race?

The international fleet attracts both enthusiastic amateur, the seasoned offshore racer, as well as out-and-out professionals from all corners of the world.

What types of boats compete in the Fastnet Race?

Boats of all shapes, sizes and age take part in this historic race, from 9m-34m (30-110ft) – and everything in between.

What is the multihull Fastnet Race record?

The Fastnet Race multihull course record is: 1 day 4 hours 2 minutes and 26 seconds (2019, Ultim Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, Franck Cammas / Charles Caudrelier)

What is the monohull Fastnet Race record?

The Fastnet Race monohull course record is: 1 day, 18 hours, 39 minutes (2011, Volvo 70, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing).

Who won the 2019 Fastnet Race?

David and Peter Askew's American VO70 Wizard won the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race, claiming the Fastnet Challenge Cup for 1st in IRC Overall.

How long has Rolex sponsored the Fastnet Race?

Rolex SA has been a longstanding sponsor of the race since 2001.

When was the first Fastnet Race held?

The first race was in 1925 with 7 boats. The Royal Ocean Racing Club was set up as a result.

What boat was the winner of the first Fastnet Race?

The winner of the first Fastnet Race was the former pilot cutter Jolie Brise, a boat that is still sailing today.

Was there an Irish entry in the first Fastnet Race?

Cork sailor Henry P F Donegan (1870-1940), who gave his total support for the Fastnet Race from its inception in 1925 and competed in the inaugural race in his 43ft cutter Gull from Cork.

Has Ireland every won the Fastnet Race?

Ireland has won the Fastnet Race twice. In 1987 the Dubois 40 Irish Independent won the Fastnet Race overall for the first time and then in 2007 – all of twenty years after Irish Independent’s win – Ireland secured the overall win again this time thanks to Ger O’Rourke’s Cookson 50 Chieftain from the Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland in Kilrush.

©Afloat 2020

At A Glance – Fastnet Race