| Monohull record falls. |
| By the Rolex Fastnet
Race Media Team. |
 |
Photos by Daniel Forster
and Carlo Borlenghi for Rolex,
edited By Peter Andrews. |
| August 16, 2011. |
|
| While the multihull record fell last night to Maxi Banque Populaire (FRA), earlier this morning the monohull record for the Rolex Fastnet Race was also demolished. Surprisingly the new record went not to Mike Slade’s 100 foot supermaxi ICAP Leopard (GBR); which had established the record of 1 day, 20 hours, and 18 minutes back in 2007; but to the smaller Volvo Open 70 Abu Dhabi (UAE), skippered by double Olympic silver medallist, Ian Walker. |
|
Loick Peyron's Maxi Banque Populaire crossing the finish line off Plymouth,
during the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
|
 |
|
|
The black-hulled VO70 arrived at an overcast and drizzly Plymouth finish line at 07:49:00 BST this morning, just under 5 minutes ahead of Franck Cammas’ VO70 Groupama 4 (FRA). In doing so, Abu Dhabi broke ICAP Leopard’s 2007 record by a whole hour and 39 minutes.
Despite this, for the line honours winner of the last two Rolex Fastnet’s, the race was still good for ICAP Leopard as she had led her faster rival, George David’s supermaxi Rambler 100, for more than 24 hours. |
| |
Ian Walker’s Volvo 70 Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (UAE), during the Rolex
Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
|
 |
|
|
"It was a very good race," said owner Mike Slade. "The weather at the beginning and the end and the surge around the top were very, very exciting and we were all doing big numbers. I thoroughly enjoyed coming out of the Solent. We led Rambler there and led her most of the way up to the Rock. Rambler is a quicker boat in terms of righting moment and weight. So that was a great thrill."
In the fog, Slade says that they knew there was an issue with Rambler but not the full extent of what had happened, that is of her keel loss and subsequent capsize. When they passed the location of the incident, between the Fastnet Rock and the Pantaenius offset mark, there had been thick fog. |
|
Mike Slade's ICAP Leopard sailing into Plymouth, during the Rolex Fastnet
Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
|
 |
|
|
The three Volvo Open 70s’ subsequently sped past ICAP Leopard in the 20 to 30 knot winds heading across to Bishop Rock.
According to Slade, this may be ICAP Leopard’s last Rolex Fastnet Race before she goes in for a major refit over this winter that will effectively transom her into a superyacht with a full luxury interior. "I have done about eight or nine Fastnet races, but I think this is as good as it gets," said Slade.
For the three Volvo Open 70s’ competing in this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race, this was the only occasion they would have lined up before they set off round the world this autumn. Their race around the 608-mile course was formidable, with Abu Dhabi, Groupama 4, and Team Sanya, skippered by former Volvo Ocean Race winner and Rolex Yachtsman of the Year, Mike Sanderson, each holding the lead for parts of the race. |
|
George David's Rambler 100 sailing in rough conditions near Fastnet
Rock before loosing her keel and capsizing, during the Rolex Fastnet Race
2011.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
|
 |
|
|
"It was wet," recounted Abu Dhabi’s skipper Ian Walker. "From half-way across the Irish Sea to the rock and back was flat out. I think our average was into the 20s’, blast reaching, and we definitely hit 30 knots on a couple of occasions. And it was a great race."
They had shared the lead with the French VO70 along the south coast of the UK while Team Sanya pulled ahead after cutting the corner at Land’s End. Abu Dhabi had regained the lead before rounding the Fastnet Rock and were then overhauled again by Groupama 4 on the reach back to the Scilly Isles. Ultimately however, Abu Dhabi took the win, passing Franck Cammas’ VO70 as they rounded the Lizard this morning to finish just 4 minutes and 42 seconds ahead of them, with Team Sanya coming in an hour later. |
|
Lionel Schurch, Rolex SA, presenting Ian Walker the Rolex Yacht Master
for line honours monohull winner with Volvo 70 Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing (UAE),
during the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
|
 |
|
|
"It is fantastic to win this race. When you have 100-footers, normally no one gets a look in, so to win it in a 70 foot boat is pretty cool," said a contented-looking Walker upon his arrival into Plymouth’s Sutton Harbour. "And it is nice to do a race. I haven’t done one for about a year and I can’t remember the last time I won one! It is also especially
good for the shore crew and all the people who have been working 12 hours a day to build the boat and get us here."
The Rolex Fastnet Race was not without its incidents and Walker reeled off a list including flooding the engine, ripping a block off the deck, dropping the media computer in the water and so on. But their troubles were small fry compared to those experienced on Team Sanya. |
|
Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing team, Eddie Warden Owen from
the Royal Ocean Racing Club and Lionel Schurch from Rolex,
during the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
|
 |
|
|
While rounding the Fastnet Rock, Walker said they had to slow down from 25 knots to allow the bowman to change the headsail. When Team Sanya attempted this, they were forced to point their bow the opposite way back up the racecourse. They also snapped their main sheet when it chafed through on a newly resurfaced winch, also forcing them into some downtime. But the most dramatic of all was when one of the thru-hole fittings in the hull blew off causing a major flood.
"We had tons of water downstairs, so we were hovering bow down, but the rule is great because we have great pumps; although they have been used a bit too often in this program!" recounted Sanderson.
Having won the 2005-06 Volvo Ocean Race, Sanderson was not involved in the 2008-09 event, but seemed elated by his return to the class that made his name. |
| |
Rough conditions for Groupama 4 on the way to Plymouth, during
the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
|
 |
|
|
"I was a bit apprehensive about coming back and doing the race, but I love it and everything about it. It is a great team and you forget how cool the boats are. Doing 30 knots in a 70-footer with another one beside you doing 30 knots. The Volvo boats; they never cease to amaze. You get back on them and it is like ‘man, these things are quick’. And we are really pleased
with the result."
Groupama 4 made a swift about-turn, back towards her base in Lorient France, immediately after finishing.
"We had a great race and we fought well. Unfortunately we finished just behind Abu Dhabi," said skipper Franck Cammas. "It was really interesting to find ourselves competing with our future rivals in the Volvo. Our performances are very close and there should be some interesting battles ahead." |
|
Mike Sanderson's Team Sanya rounding Fastnet Rock, during the
Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
|
 |
|
|
Meanwhile more details have emerged of the keel loss and subsequent capsize of George David’s maxi Rambler 100 that occurred shortly after they rounded the Rock at 17:25 BST yesterday.
"We were beating into big seas, launching Rambler off the top of full-size waves," said Project Manager Mick Harvey, who was on board at the time. "I was down below with navigator Peter Isler when we heard the sickening sound of the keel breaking off. It was instantaneous; there was no time to react. The boat turned turtle, just like a dinghy capsizing. Peter Isler issued a Mayday and we got out of there as quickly as we could."
Crew on deck were able to clamber over the lifelines and onto the upturned hull and helped those that had ended up in the water. However the swell made it difficult for all the crew to get out and five, including skipper George David and partner Wendy Touton, were swept away and out of reach. This group linked arms, forming a circle, but ended up in the water for two and a half hours. |
|
George David's Rambler 100 capsized and the crew being rescued by the Baltimore
RNLI lifeboat, during the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
|
 |
|
|
Fortunately, the Coastguard were able to divert a local fishing boat to assist, which winched the remaining crew on board. From there, Wendy Touton who was suffering from hypothermia was airlifted to hospital for medical attention.
The remaining four were taken to Baltimore Harbour where they were re-united with the 16 crew members who had been rescued from the upturned hull of Rambler 100 by the Baltimore Lifeboat.
As of 12:00 BST, 12 boats have finished the race; approximately 275 were still racing, and 27 have retired. |
|
Rambler 100's crew arriving back on shore at Baltimore after their rescue
from a capsize, during the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
|
 |
|
|
The Rolex Fastnet Race finish is in Plymouth Harbour and the main trophy for overall victory in the Rolex Fastnet is the Fastnet Challenge Cup. In addition, there are more than 30 other trophies that will be awarded at the prize giving on Friday, August 19 at the historic Royal Citadel. Overlooking Plymouth Sound and Sutton Harbour where the majority of the fleet will berth, the Citadel
is the home to the 29th Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
For further information about the Rolex Fastnet Race, go to www.fastnet.rorc.org. |
|
| Outimage and Rolex © 2011 |
