Race leaders used the strong breeze of an advancing low pressure system to power across the Celtic Sea and round the Fastnet Rock early evening on Tuesday. With the race leaders heading home, the bulk of the Rolex Fastnet Race fleet still racing is midway between Land's End and the Fastnet Rock sailing in southwesterly winds of 25-30 knots.
The super-maxis were neck and neck reaching up to the Rock at 14 knots in bright sunshine, rounding nearly together and then going on the wind to round the Pantaenius Buoy to port, some fives miles to the south west of the Rock. The 90-foot Reichel Pugh-designed Rambler went past at 18:00:35 BST followed by the Farr-designed 100-foot canting keeled ICAP Leopard at 18:00:38 BST. Subsequently, PRB, Delta Dore and Cheminees Poujoulat from the Open 60 Class have rounded. From the buoy, the distance to the race finish in Plymouth is 251 nautical miles.
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