Please select your home edition
Edition
RS Sailing 2021 - LEADERBOARD

Rolex Fastnet Race – Class 40 team in contention after a classic start

by Oman Sail on 7 Aug 2017
Sultanate of Oman Class40 race yacht skippered by Sidney Gavignet during the start of the 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race Lloyd Images http://lloydimagesgallery.photoshelter.com/
A day into the renowned Rolex Fastnet Race and Oman Sail’s Class 40 team were locked in a close-fought battle near the front of the record-breaking fleet.

Data from trackers on each yacht showed Oman Sail holding sixth place in the 26-strong Class 40 category early on Monday morning as they approached The Lizard peninsula, the southernmost point of mainland Britain.

A fleet of 368 yachts - the largest since the biennial Fastnet Race began in 1925 – started from The Solent on Sunday morning. The classic 605-mile race delivered classic conditions, with an upwind start in 15 to 20 knots and bright sunshine.

The race takes the fleet from England’s south coast to the Fastnet Rock off southern Ireland, then back across the Irish Sea to the finish in Plymouth.



Speaking shortly before the start, Oman Sail’s skipper Sidney Gavignet said: “The weather forecast is saying it will be upwind conditions all the way to the Fastnet, and downwind all the way back from the Fastnet to Plymouth.

“Our goal is to get to the finish in one piece, and enjoy the race and keep learning. It is all about taking one step at a time and progressing.”

And he added: “I almost don’t want to speak about results. For us it is about sailing a clean race and feeling that we have got the maximum from the boat – that would be a good result.”

Gavignet is racing with his regular Class 40 co-skipper Fahad Al Hasni, and they have been joined for the Fastnet Race by the Omani sailor Sami Al Shukaili and Spanish Class 40 specialist Alex Pella. All previously raced together on the MOD 70 Musandam-Oman Sail trimaran.



“Boat speed will be a focus for us, keeping the pace up all the time during the rotations,” said Gavignet. “That is part of my job too to keep the guys going, but they all have very good energy.

“One thing is to take it easy when we need to. It is important. It is a mechanical sport so we need to preserve the mechanics sometimes, and we have to live with what we have. Sometimes you have to be smart.”

Also speaking during pre-Fastnet training, Al Hasni added: “We are making progress with the boat, though we still have progress to make, but we are getting there. It is great to sail with Sami again and having Alex’s feedback on the Class 40 will be really good as well.”



The upwind start and the short-tacking up The Solent will have seen the four putting their training routines into practice, with Gavignet and Al Hasni handling the boat on deck, while Al Shukaili and Pella manage the transfer of water ballast and sail stacking below.

At Sunday’s competitive start Oman Sail were judged to have crossed the line just before the starting gun sounded, and had to return and re-cross the line. Despite giving away several minutes to their rivals they were able to climb back into contention over the following hours.

For Gavignet and Al Hasni the Fastnet is another step on the road towards the focus of the Oman Sail Class 40 campaign in November, the 3,000-mile two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre race from Le Havre in France to Salvador in Brazil.

PredictWind - GO! exec 728x90 BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOM

Related Articles

Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam Day 5
Pierre Mortefon storms to victory in Slalom X Pierre Mortefon storms to victory in Slalom X, while Matteo Iachino and Maciek Rutkowski complete the podium. Freestyle kicks off on Wednesday.
Posted today at 7:32 pm
Were the Roos Robbed in Portsmouth?
We discuss the Race 6 Penalty with SailGP's Chief Umpire Craig Mitchell The high speed, short course action of SailGP is thrilling to watch, but inevitably causes tight situations and means the Umpires have to react quickly to decide who is right and who is wrong.
Posted today at 6:43 pm
Admiral's Cup David Maynard Tuesday Photo Gallery
The first inshore races were sailed in typical Solent conditions Tuesday saw the first inshore races of the 2025 Admiral's Cup, which were sailed in typical Solent conditions, with 15 to 20 knots of South Westerly wind. Two races were held, a short and a long inshore race, using channel markers for rounding.
Posted today at 5:47 pm
Performance Meets Savings For a Limited Time
Order new North Sails before July 31st to secure Trade In Trade Up preferred pricing Out with the old, in with performance. Order new sails before July 31st to secure Trade In Trade Up preferred pricing.
Posted today at 3:00 pm
Fuerteventura PWA Grand Slam Day 4
Sarah-Quita Offringa secures incredible 26th world title Sarah-Quita Offringa secures incredible 26th world title, while Pierre Mortefon is on verge of winning men's after claiming back-to-back bullets.
Posted today at 10:45 am
Transat Café L'or calling for next destinatation
After Cartagena, Salvador de Bahia, Puerto Limon, Itajaí, and Fort-de-France After Cartagena, Salvador de Bahia, Puerto Limon, Itajaí, and Fort-de-France, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie is now calling for applications to find a destination partner for the next editions, starting from the fall of 2027.
Posted today at 10:10 am
Cape 31 Med Circuit Round 4 at Imperia overall
Stig stays steady to win again in Italy, Give Me Five tops Corinthian One Pro The Cape 31 fleet wrapped up a spectacular weekend of racing in Imperia with Alessandro Rombelli's Stig (ITA 76) claiming the overall win after nine races. This marks Stig's second Italian victory of the 2025 Cape 31 Race Circuit.
Posted today at 9:32 am
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta overall
Wrapping up with World-Class podium performances The Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta wrapped up with a full podium and high spirits, marking a thrilling conclusion to a week of elite racing in the iconic waters off Southern California.
Posted today at 5:41 am
WASZP Games 2025 Day 1
247 sailors across four fleets racing in Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay "This race is live" — and with that, the 2025 WASZP Games were officially under way. With 247 sailors across four fleets, Portland Harbour and Weymouth Bay were transformed into a theatre of foiling.
Posted today at 4:56 am
Heartbreaker leads sunrise finishers
In 2025 Race to Mackinac In the early morning hours, the sleek fleet of Great Lakes 52s sailed under the Mackinac Bridge and past the iconic Round Island Lighthouse to finish at Mackinac Island, completing their 333-mile journey in the 116th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac.
Posted on 21 Jul