Rolex Fastnet

At 08h 58m 53sec local time, Mike Slade's new 100-foot super maxi crossed the finish line off the Plymouth breakwater under spinnaker, breaking the Rolex Fastnet Race monohull race record that has stood since 1999. With an elapsed time of 1 day, 20 hours, 18 minutes, the Bruce Farr-designed ICAP Leopard (GBR) chopped just under 9 hours off the record set by Ross Field on the 80-foot RF Yachting. Wind was southwest at 10-15 knots as the boat finished in a light rain and reduced visibility.

Only 10 miles behind was George David's 90-foot Rambler (USA), finishing at 09h 43m 21sec and also well within the previous record time. She currently leads the fleet overall on corrected time. Dockside in Plymouth, Slade was presented with a Rolex Yachtmaster timepiece in steel and platinum and the Erroll Bruce Cup for his Line Honours win by Lionel Schurch of Rolex SA and RORC Commodore David Aisher.

ICAP Leopard was launched in June 2007 and was sailing in only its first proper offshore race. Slade recounted a great race with the first day match-racing out of the Solent and along the coast with Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo (NZL) in 25 - 30 knots (with Alfa later retiring from the race). Slade said the worst of the weather was off the Lizard where, "we saw 40 knots, more in the gusts.it's at night, and it's hard to gauge the seas." He continued, "But the boat is very solid, you put water (ballast) in the back and lift the bow.it's like a Volvo 70 stretched out to 100 feet. We never had to back off, on the contrary, you can push the boat."

Rolex Fastnet

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.

Rolex Fastnet

Strong winds and short steep seas are taking their toll on the 271-boat Rolex Fastnet fleet, with approximately 90 boats retired as of 1130 BST. Boats have been streaming into Plymouth - the race finish - and other ports along the Devon and Cornwall coastline after they elected or were forced to retire and head for shelter. For some boats it was not so much the wind, but the accompanying sea state that was proving exhausting for the crews. One of the race leaders, the super-maxi Alfa Romeo retired last night at 2250. With the wind at 30 knots, gusting to 40 knots, the sea state wasn't too bad, but owner Neville Crichton and crew were concerned with the expected conditions at Land's End. According to the Coast Guard, three yachts have already experienced rig problems. The current race leaders, which include Leopard, Rambler and several of the Open 60 fleet are north of Bishop's Rock reaching in a southerly breeze at over 17 knots.

Rolex Fastnet

The Rolex Fastnet is a race steeped in history. First contested in 1925 and, except for a break during the 1940s, run biennially since the early 1930s, this year will mark the 42nd edition. A true bluewater ocean race, to compete in this race is a goal for many sailors whether for the first time, the fifth or the 20th time. RORC Race Office announced at the Race & Weather briefing that the Rolex Fastnet Race start would be postponed for 25 hours due to the continued severe weather warning issued by the UK Met office. The first start for the 300 boat fleet was Monday 13 August at 1100 BST. So, race crews had an extra day to prepare for the Rolex Fastnet Race start. For the first time in race history, RORC race organizers elected to postpone the start by 25 hours due to a severe weather warning from the UK Met Office, which would have put the bulk of the fleet in the middle of the Celtic Sea as a low pressure system approached, with no safe port to run to. Finally, 271 boats set off Monday 13 August from the Squadron line in Cowes for the start of 46th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race. It was a picture-perfect day with blue skies and puffy cumulus clouds, and little sign of the severe weather that is forecast ahead. The IMOCA 60 class was first off at 1100 BST, followed by six more classes as the 15 -18 knot breeze and a four knot ebb tide produced a short choppy sea. First out past the Needles was the IMOCA 60 fleet, with the Alex Thompson-skippered, Hugo Boss leading, followed by PRB and Cheminees Poujoulat. Three and a half hours after the start, Spanish skipper Guillermo Altadill and American co-skipper Jonathan McKee have officially announced their retirement from the Rolex Fastnet Race.