FAST40+ Race Circuit – All-round test for the fleet
by Louay Habib on 27 Jun 2017
Round 2 – FAST40+ Race Circuit Paul Wyeth / RORC
Racing for the FAST40+ Class continues next weekend, 30 June – July 01, with round two of the FAST40+ Race Circuit, consisting of one day of Windward Leeward racing, followed by the prestigious Round the Island Race, presented by Cloudy Bay.
Around 1338 yachts are expected for the famous race, including 11 FAST40s, racing for one of this year's major awards; the FAST40+ Cloudy Bay Trophy.
The Royal Southern Yacht Club will host the Windward Leeward Races in the Solent, with up to four races on a tight and technically demanding course. The second part of Round Two of the FAST40+ Race Circuit continues the following day, July 01, with the Round the Island Race, organised by the Island Sailing Club. The 50-nautical mile race around the Isle of Wight is a demanding race both in terms of stamina of the crew, and strategy to determine the optimum route, taking into account the wind and tide.
FAST40+ teams include last year's Round the Island Race Class winner, Sir Keith Mills' British Ker40+ Invictus, which leads the 2017 FAST40+ Race Circuit. New Zealander Mark Rijkse's Reichel Pugh designed 42 South, which has been in fine form, and is currently second for the season. The young German team, racing the Felci designed Silva Neo, is lying third for the 2017 FAST40+ Race Circuit.
Johnny Vincent's British Ker40+ Pace, fresh from winning the 2017 FAST40+ National title, will be competing. The 2016 FAST40+ Race Circuit champion skipper, Peter Morton, will be racing his new British Carkeek Mk3 FAST40+ Girls on Film. Stewart Whitehead's British Carkeek Mk2 FAST40+ Rebellion returns to action, and British Ker40+ Magnum 4 will be racing, skippered by FAST40+ debutant, Tony Hayward.
Action for Round Two of the 2017 FAST40+ Race Circuit starts on Friday 30 June at 11:30 BST (10:30 UTC) with up to the minute coverage on the FAST40+ facebook page. Coverage will resume for the Round the Island Race presented by Cloudy Bay, on Saturday 01 July, with an early start time of 05:30 BST (04:30 UTC).
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