A tip in advance: Anyone who has looked in vain for information, news and results on the Rolex Fastnet Race homepage because the otherwise reliable page was not available even hours after the start could use the "YB Races" app and the free one Download for the British long-distance classic will give you a rough overview. And here we show the repetition of the live broadcast again:
To be seen here in repetition at any time: The complete live broadcast of the Rolex Fastet Race. Once again an impressive spectacle in front of the Isle of Wight, which has made thousands of sailors and tens of thousands of spectators the temporary sailing center of the world
The very precise interim results, sorted by classes and starts, were not available at least until Sunday evening at the best crime scene time. The impressive start of the record fleet of 368 participating teams should not be diminished by the technical failure. In 15 to 20 knots of wind and beautiful summer weather, the yachts crossed the western Solent before they came closer together again in the traditional "bottleneck" at Hurst Narrows.
Impressive start of the big yachts. On the far right of the picture you can see "Brunel" with skipper Bouwe Bekking and navigator Robin Zinkmann
The first start took place at 12 noon German time. Nine multihulls dashed across the starting line. A short time later, the trimaran "Concise 10" led the field. By the time the group of IRC-1 yachts were sent to the 47th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race less than an hour and a half later, Tony Lawson's Mod70 had already reached Poole. From on board, sailor Paul Larsen, who five years ago became the fastest sailor in the world at a speed of 65.45 knots, reported that the "Concise 10" was underway with a reef in the mainsail and staysail. Larsen enthused: "We're sailing at 20 knots - glamor conditions at the start!" Nevertheless, with a view to the winds predicted, Larsen saw little chance for the "Concise 10" to break the existing multihull record.
Successful start for the Hamburg "Varuna" by Jens Kellinghusen
The Mod70 "Concise 10" quickly led the field of multihulls
The multihulls were followed by nine two-handed Imoca 60 yachts, including the "Malizia" from Monaco with Boris Herrmann and Pierre Casiraghi, as well as 27 Class 40 yachts. A few hours after the starting signal, Paul Meilhat and Jules Verne record holder Gwénolé Gahinet initially took the lead with "SMA". The co-favorites Alex Thomson and Nicholas O'Leary were initially in third place with their foiling Imoc60 "Hugo Boss". The 40s fleet led Phil Sharp on "Imerys" at the beginning, but already fought exciting battles with Burkhard Keeses "StellNova" and other strongly emerging 40s. In the case of the seven VO65 yachts, an exciting duel between Charles Caudrelier's Dongfeng Race Team and Bouwe Bekking's Team Brunel emerged, to which navigator Robin Zinkmann from Bremerhaven is a test candidate for participation in the upcoming Volvo Ocean Race. The start marked a premiere for pursuer and "Mapfre" skipper Xabi Fernandez - the Spanish 49er Olympic champion had never participated in the Fastnet Race before.
Fights for the honor of the "First ship home": George David's "Rambler 88" from the USA
Boris Herrmann, Pierre Casiraghi and a guest start the 47th Rolex Fastnet Race here
Click here to go to the homepage and the results (when the page is available again).
Nice study of the Spanish VO65 yacht "Mapfre" with skipper Xabi Fernandez, who is taking part in a Fastnet Race for the first time