Unlike the past 2 editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race the wind was less strong for the 9 race starts from Cowes on Saturday 26th July enabling the boats to get away without too much upset.
First off were the large multihulls with their start from the RYS Line activated by the Princess Royal as it was the 100th running of this iconic race as well as 100 years since the formation of The Royal Ocean Racing Club. (RORC) Class 5 (the Admiral’s Cup boats) were also set off by Her Royal Highness.
A large crowd of spectators were on Cowes Parade, around the RYS and on Princes Green and the shoreline to Gurnard to view the starts. By the Needles, and open water the wind picked up for all boats and by the time the IRC Class 4 boats started the lead ones were heading down the Channel.
By Saturday late evening the fast boats had reached Lands End and were heading for the Fastnet Rock off southern Ireland.
Prior to the start on Saturday a press conference had been held on Friday at the RORC Clubhouse, Cowes where a panel, including worldclass professional sailors, shared their hopes and views for the race.
Brian Thompson, who lived on the Island for some time and has a great knowledge of Solent waters and was sailing on the MOD70 ‘Argo’ said that his boat and ‘Zoulou’ had shared a number of races and very often match raced. Brian and others shared their views on how to victual for a long near700 miles race, saying that as the ‘Argo’ crew only anticipated racing for a day or so their food consisted mainly of sandwiches and snacks. He was looking forward to a Croissant on arrival in France!
With wind and tide changes the first boats rounded the Fastnet Rock in a good, but not record breaking time and were soon on their way to Cherbourg.
In 2023 records had been broken with ‘SVR Lazartigue’ taking just 1day :08 Hours: 38 minutes to take line honours in the multihull class and ‘Macif’ 2days: 07 Hours: 16mins. in the monohulls. For 2025 it was once again ‘SVR Lazartigue’ which took multihull honours in 1:17;18. ‘Argo’ and ‘Zoulou’ battled it out, as these well matched boats seem to do in most races. ‘Zoulou’ had the advantage most of the way but ‘Argo’ pushed through and beat her by just 20 minutes.
‘Black Jack 100’ took line honours in the monohulls in a time of 2:12:31. Tschuss 2, after spending some time in Cowes after her win in the Transatlantic Race, completed the Rolex Fastnet Race in a time of 2:17: 21.
During the rest of the week boats arrived into the French port thick and fast and with ratings taken into account the Rolex Fastnet Race Trophy was presented to Alexis Loison. Alexis and Jean-Pierre Kelbert’s JPK 1050 Léon was crowned overall winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race. No other boat still racing on the 695 nautical mile course can catch the French doublehanded duo for overall honours in this, the 51st edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s offshore classic.
Taking part in the race for the first time was Cowes born sailor Reg White, following his long term goal since he was young to compete and complete it. He hoped to touch land in Cherbourg on Friday morning the 1st August around 10.30/11am after a long 6 days at sea. Reg is aboard his friend Geoff West’s boat ‘Lightning Reflex’ with 5 other crew members. Supporters travelled to Cherbourg ready to greet them.
