Record Rolex Fastnet Race is underway

07 Aug 2017

368 yachts are taking part in the race

A record 368 yachts from 29 countries are competing in the 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race.

First away were the nine multihulls with the MOD70 Concise 10 immediately asserting her status as favourite to arrive first in Plymouth.

Following the departure of the multihulls, the subsequent starts encompassed the IMOCA 60s and Class 40s.

Paul Meilhat and Jules Verne were leading aboard SMA in the 60s range at last count.

The first ‘foil-assisted’ IMOCA 60 was favourite Alex Thomson and Nicholas O’Leary on Hugo Boss in third place.

The final start was reserved for the largest and fastest monohulls. At 115-ft Nikata, a high-performance cruising yacht, has become the largest monohull to ever compete in the race.

Her nearest rival in size, Ludde Ingvall’s 100-ft CQS, was built with the more single-minded objective of racing fast.

George David’s Rambler 88 is an offshore racing yacht par excellence and has the added experience of finishing the last edition of the race. The final starting group also comprised the seven competing Volvo 65s.

At the start of the race the vessels were divided across seven start sequences in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron’s clubhouse in Cowes, Isle of Wight.

The general consensus among weather forecasters points to a ‘big boat race’, with good breeze on the upwind leg to the Fastnet rock.

This is expected to be followed by a cold front heralding lighter conditions which may thwart the ambitions of the chasing fleet in their quest to claim the Fastnet Challenge Trophy and Rolex timepiece awarded to the overall race winner on IRC handicap.

via Boating Business | Record Rolex Fastnet Race is underway.