The 2007 edition of the RORC’s Rolex Fastnet Race is also used as the official prologue to the two-handed Barcelona World Race. The Barcelona World Race duos will be racing in the same two-up format for the 608-mile race that started Sunday, 12th August. The Barcelona World Race counts nine official entries, following the announcement of the all-Spanish crew of Mutua Madrilena and the Franco-Catalan duet aboard Educacion Sin Fronteras who have joined this highly competitive fleet.
The IMOCA Open 60 fleet taking part in the RORC’s Rolex Fastnet Race, set off finally on Monday 13 August in front of the Royal Yacht Squadron. With 18 knots of southwesterly wind and under the sun, the powerful monohulls have tackled the Solent waters under reduced sails, expecting the wind to increase gradually during this first day at sea. First to cross the starting line, Alex Thomson and Andrew Cape’s Hugo Boss displayed an impressive speed potential, and led the fleet out of the Solent. Strong weather is on the menu for the crews, who are bracing themselves. The first hours at sea have been dominated by a captivating duel between Hugo Boss (Thomson – Cape) and her sister ship Generali (Eliès – Audigane), while right behind them PRB (Riou – Josse) was engaged in a match race against her “twin” Delta Dore (Beyou – Gavignet). Under reefed main and staysail, in challenging conditions, the IMOCA 60s put on a show of sheer upwind power, Estrella Damm moving into the leading pack right after the Needles. Unfortunately, for Spanish skipper Guillermo Altadill and American co-skipper Jonathan McKee their progress was short-lived and three and a half hours into the race then had to announce their retirement.
