Category Archives: Regattas and Races

Information about Yacht Races and Regatta

44th Rolex Fastnet Race: Prestigious Sailing Challenge Begins August 14

IROMIGUY, FRA, Jean-Yves Chateau, IRC 3 Rolex Fastnet Race 2005 Daniel Forster ROLEX

The Rolex Fastnet Race is the next thrilling event in the AORS series. The registered fleet is comprised of 350 spectacular entrants possessing individual quality and diversity that is no less than breathtaking. With an impressive fleet of inspiring and exhilarating yachts, the 2011 Rolex Fastnet Race is destined to maintain the event’s prestigious tradition.

RAMBLER and ICAP LEOPARD, sailing around the Fastnet Rock: Photo credit Rolex Carlo Borlenghi

The Rolex Fastnet Race commences from Cowes on Sunday 14 August. Ambitious crews hope to finish after only one or two nights at sea, but many are likely to spend closer to a week in potentially punishing conditions. In 2007, Mike Slade`s Farr-designed 100ft Maxi, ICAP Leopard (GBR) crossed the Rolex Fastnet Race finish line in an incredible elapsed time of 1 day 20 hours 18 minutes.

RAN rounding Fastnet Rock

This year the fastest boat on the water will be the 100-foot trimaran, Banque Populaire (FRA), which just broke the round the Britain Isles record by almost a day and a half. However, the much anticipated battle for monohull line honors will between ICAP Leopard, first elapsed-time finisher in the past two editions, and arch-rivals George David’s Rambler 100, which eased to line honors in the 2011 Transatlantic Race after ICAP Leopard lost her bowsprit.

BEAU GESTE rounding Fastnet Rock

No less than six Volvo 70s will be competing, including Abu Dhabi (UAE) and Groupama IV (FRA). The Mini Maxi class includes defending Rolex Fastnet handicap winner, the 72 ft. Rán (GBR), 68 ft. Alegre (GBR), a fantastic campaigner in the Mediterranean in recent seasons. American challengers include the STP65 Vanquish, and the Reichel-Pugh 66 Zaraffa, who like ICAP Leopard and Rambler 100 competed in the Transatlantic Race.

The main trophy for overall victory in the Rolex Fastnet is the Fastnet Challenge Cup. In addition, there are more than 30 additional trophies that will be awarded at the prize giving on Friday, 19 August at the historic Royal Citadel, home of the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, overlooking Plymouth Sound and Sutton Harbour, where the majority of the fleet will berth.

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Mar Mostro winners of IRC Class One and IRC Overall for the Transatlantic Race 2011

PUMA Ocean Racing Team: photo courtesy of PUMA

PUMA’s Mar Mostro is not only the second boat across the Transatlantic Race 2011 finish line at The Lizard on the south coast of England (at 05:40 UTC on July 11) but also the current overall standings leader based on corrected time.

Skipper Ken Read and crew completed the 2,975 nautical mile course in 7 days, 11 hours and 40 minutes.  After careful calculations, the race committee has confirmed that none of the 24 yachts still racing has a mathematical probability of beating PUMA’s Mar Mostro on corrected time, and they shall be declared provisional winners of IRC Class One and IRC Overall for the Transatlantic Race 2011.
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Transatlantic Race 2011 Rambler 100 LINE HONORS

Record holding Rambler 100 (photo credit TR2011/Mark Lloyd)

Rambler 100, skippered by George David (Hartford, Conn.) crossed the finish line of the Transatlantic Race 2011 on Sunday 10th July at 16h 08m UTC.

Elapsed time for Rambler 100 was 6d 22h 08m 2s.

It has established a new record for the 2,975 nautical mile course from Newport, RI to Lizard Point, South Cornwall, UK, which is to be ratified by the World Sailing Speed Record Council.

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Transatlantic Race 2011: ICAP Leopard Suffers Broken Bowsprit

ICAP Leopard’s captain, Chris Sherlock, has announced that their bowsprit broke at 20.20 UT on Monday 04 July, just over a day after leaving Newport, R.I.  The damage happened in flat water after passing the George’s Bank with a fractional sail flying off the sprit. No one was hurt in the incident and both the sail and the sprit were recovered safely.

The unfortunate mishap has not threatened the integrity of the hull or the strength of the bow so that sails can still be flown from the stem. This has meant that Leopard’s performance on the long beam reach of the first three days from Newport has not been much compromised except that the yacht has had to sail slightly higher than optimum, which is why it is to the south side of its main competition.  However, as the high pressure system is approached, there are very few options for sailing downwind without the sprit.

For more information, yacht blogs and photos: https://www.transatlanticrace.org/

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Transatlantic Race 2011: Update

The Maxi Yachts that started on July 3 from Newport, R.I. to The Lizard in southeast England have been making fantastic progress. The yachts are all opting for the direct route and maximizing speed. Rambler 100, the Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed 100’ canting keel maxi, is averaging close to 20 knots and predicted to finish on the 10th of July. This will set an exceptional benchmark for a transatlantic crossing.

Rambler 100 is closely competing with PUMA’s Mar Mostro.  PUMA has taken up a slightly more northerly position however, the Point Alpha ice gate is looming and the Volvo 70 may need to alter course towards the east to leave the mark of the course to port.  Nearly one hundred miles behind Rambler 100, ICAP Leopard is south of the rhumb line and enjoying better breeze than the two rivals in front.

The young Oakcliff All American Offshore Team, racing aboard the Reichel Pugh-designed Vanquish, are thrilled with the experience, and opportunity and are managing to hold their own rather well despite the fiercely sophisticated competition.

In IRC Class Two, Jazz, is the frontrunner and the Cookson 50 has altered course north, aiming for a low-pressure system. This move north also avoids an area of little wind to the south that the German Rogers 46s, Shakti and Varuna, have been unable to take.

Second Start, June 29 – ?? Amory Ross

The IRC Class Three lead is maintained by Zaraffa. Ambersail’s move south saw the Lithuanian crew make up some ground but  ahead lies an area of little wind and they will need to move sideways to the northto get into pressure.

In IRC Class Four, Carina has given a remarkable performance but their competition has most definitely caught up some miles.  Carina chose a southerly route, while the Army Sailing Association’s British Soldier, among others, stayed to the north. British Soldier has advanced 30 miles on Carina, but the American team is still over 170 miles ahead.

Ned Collier-Wakefield’s (Oxford, U.K.) Concise 2 is currently 60 miles ahead of Dragon, skippered by Mike Hennessy (Mystic, Conn.).  The two Class 40s have been enjoying some fast-reaching conditions and are now fully offshore many miles from land.

“Dragon passed the longitude of Point Alpha and now the next mark of the course is Lizard Point, a mere 1800 miles down the road,” reported Hennessy in a message revealing his thoughts as they head out into the Atlantic.  “Funny enough, our entire race thus far has been within about 100 miles of land.  Now we are heading off into that big open space in between, the wild blue yonder.  See you on the other side.”

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