PHOTO GALLERY August 09, 2019

The magic of Fastnet

The best boats in one of the biggest offshore regattas

The French crew of Maxi Edmond De Rothschild Charles Caudrelier and Franck Camma were the first to finish and hold two new speed records (on the Kaus-Fastnet section and on the whole distance). Their 32-metre maxi-trimaran Ultim reached the Fastnet lighthouse in 18 hours, 3 minutes and 38 seconds and the finish line was 1 day, 4 hours, 2 minutes and 26 seconds.

Maxi Edmond De Rothschild's main rival throughout the race was another French Ultime - MACIF Francois Gabart and Jimmy Spithill. At the Fastnet lighthouse, the MACIF was less than two minutes behind and Gabar and Spithill were almost the first to arrive. Codrellier and Camma outpaced their compatriots after Fastnet in the last minute, but only 38 seconds.

In the IRC divisions the winner of Overall for the first time since 1989 is the American team - the crew of David and Peter Askew's Volvo Open 70 Wizard. Since 2013, this title has always been won by French teams. Wizard's victorious march through the world offshore regattas began last year, when the team became one of the best at the Newport Bermuda regatta. In February this year, Wizard won the RORC Caribbean 600, just a month ago - Transatlantic Race 2019, and now at the first attempt has added to its hall of fame and the main prize of the Rolex Fastnet Race. The American team covered 608 nautical miles in 1 day, 21 hours, 37 minutes and 7 seconds. After correcting the time, their result was 3 days, 2 hours, 13 minutes and 17 seconds - 45 minutes better than their closest rivals from the French Bretagne Telecom.

However, without the handicap, Wizard was not the fastest single hull this year. First after the trimarans in Plymouth, setting a new speed record for the single body race, came the American Rambler 88 George David. The team reached the finish an hour and a half earlier than Wizard - 1 day, 19 hours, 55 minutes and 2 seconds after the start.

Faster than Wizard, but 27 minutes later than the Rambler 88, the 30-meter sloop from Hong Kong's SHK Scallywag came to Plymouth. The actual result of the Asian crew is 1 day, 20 hours, 22 minutes and 24 seconds.

The French team of Alexis Loison and Jean-Pierre Kelbert were the best among the two crews in IRC 2H (as well as in IRC 3 in general). In 2013, Loison, together with his father Pascal on the JPK 10.10 Night and Day was the first winner of the Fastnet Challenge Cup among the two teams in the IRC divisions. This year the Leon crew was able to complete the race route in 3 days, 3 hours, 21 minutes and 2 seconds.

The IMOCA 60 teams also fought in pairs at this regatta. The best of them was French Charal Jérémie Beyou and Christopher Pratt. At the finish line in Plymouth, Charal finished fourth in a single body. Beyou and Pratt finished the race in 2 days, 1 hour, 17 minutes and 28 seconds.

In the Class40 division, the French also celebrate the victory. The crew of Lamotte - Module Creation Luke Berry - have covered 608 nautical miles in 2 days, 1 hour, 17 minutes and 28 seconds. At the finish of the Lamotte Module Creation and the French crew Beijaflore almost repeated the duel between Maxi Edmond De Rothschild and MACIF. However, unlike Codrellier and Camma, the crew of William Mathelin-Moreaux did not manage to beat their opponents at the last minute and Beijaflore finished 3 minutes later than Lamotte - Module Creation.

The Dorade Cup prize as a classic yacht with the best adjusted time was awarded to 50-year-old American 14.6-meter sloop Carina II by Rives Potts. The team's official result is 3 days, 15 hours, 54 minutes and 2 seconds.

The result of the British yacht Lulotte after adjusting the time was 3 days, 16 hours, 6 minutes and 19 seconds. For this the team won the Sparkman and Stephens Trophy. The prize was created especially for yachts designed by Sparkman and Stephens.

1 / 10

Maxi Edmond De Rothschild

The French crew of Maxi Edmond De Rothschild Charles Caudrelier and Franck Camma were the first to finish and hold two new speed records (on the Kaus-Fastnet section and on the whole distance). Their 32-metre maxi-trimaran Ultim reached the Fastnet lighthouse in 18 hours, 3 minutes and 38 seconds and the finish line was 1 day, 4 hours, 2 minutes and 26 seconds.

2 / 10

MACIF on the tail

Maxi Edmond De Rothschild's main rival throughout the race was another French Ultime - MACIF Francois Gabart and Jimmy Spithill. At the Fastnet lighthouse, the MACIF was less than two minutes behind and Gabar and Spithill were almost the first to arrive. Codrellier and Camma outpaced their compatriots after Fastnet in the last minute, but only 38 seconds.

3 / 10

Wizard

In the IRC divisions the winner of Overall for the first time since 1989 is the American team - the crew of David and Peter Askew's Volvo Open 70 Wizard. Since 2013, this title has always been won by French teams. Wizard's victorious march through the world offshore regattas began last year, when the team became one of the best at the Newport Bermuda regatta. In February this year, Wizard won the RORC Caribbean 600, just a month ago - Transatlantic Race 2019, and now at the first attempt has added to its hall of fame and the main prize of the Rolex Fastnet Race. The American team covered 608 nautical miles in 1 day, 21 hours, 37 minutes and 7 seconds. After correcting the time, their result was 3 days, 2 hours, 13 minutes and 17 seconds - 45 minutes better than their closest rivals from the French Bretagne Telecom.

4 / 10

Rambler 88

However, without the handicap, Wizard was not the fastest single hull this year. First after the trimarans in Plymouth, setting a new speed record for the single body race, came the American Rambler 88 George David. The team reached the finish an hour and a half earlier than Wizard - 1 day, 19 hours, 55 minutes and 2 seconds after the start.

5 / 10

SHK Scallywag

Faster than Wizard, but 27 minutes later than the Rambler 88, the 30-meter sloop from Hong Kong's SHK Scallywag came to Plymouth. The actual result of the Asian crew is 1 day, 20 hours, 22 minutes and 24 seconds.

6 / 10

Leon

The French team of Alexis Loison and Jean-Pierre Kelbert were the best among the two crews in IRC 2H (as well as in IRC 3 in general). In 2013, Loison, together with his father Pascal on the JPK 10.10 Night and Day was the first winner of the Fastnet Challenge Cup among the two teams in the IRC divisions. This year the Leon crew was able to complete the race route in 3 days, 3 hours, 21 minutes and 2 seconds.

7 / 10

Charal

The IMOCA 60 teams also fought in pairs at this regatta. The best of them was French Charal Jérémie Beyou and Christopher Pratt. At the finish line in Plymouth, Charal finished fourth in a single body. Beyou and Pratt finished the race in 2 days, 1 hour, 17 minutes and 28 seconds.

8 / 10

Lamotte - Module Creation

In the Class40 division, the French also celebrate the victory. The crew of Lamotte - Module Creation Luke Berry - have covered 608 nautical miles in 2 days, 1 hour, 17 minutes and 28 seconds. At the finish of the Lamotte Module Creation and the French crew Beijaflore almost repeated the duel between Maxi Edmond De Rothschild and MACIF. However, unlike Codrellier and Camma, the crew of William Mathelin-Moreaux did not manage to beat their opponents at the last minute and Beijaflore finished 3 minutes later than Lamotte - Module Creation.

9 / 10

Carina II

The Dorade Cup prize as a classic yacht with the best adjusted time was awarded to 50-year-old American 14.6-meter sloop Carina II by Rives Potts. The team's official result is 3 days, 15 hours, 54 minutes and 2 seconds.

10 / 10

Lulotte

The result of the British yacht Lulotte after adjusting the time was 3 days, 16 hours, 6 minutes and 19 seconds. For this the team won the Sparkman and Stephens Trophy. The prize was created especially for yachts designed by Sparkman and Stephens.

Text by: Anastasiya Nosova

Image courtesy of: StudioBorlenghi, Kurt Arrigo, Yann Riou

The 48th editionof the Rolex Fastnet Race, which started on 3 August in the UK, is coming to an end. Of the 388 crews, only 327 could complete the 608 nautical mile route from Cowes to Plymouth via Ireland's Fastnet Lighthouse.

The youngest entrant to this year's race was 13-year-old Kai Hockley of British school team Greig City Academy (yacht Scaramouche). One of the oldest is Spartan Ocean Racing's UK Challenger crew member Christoper Hope, 81.