Rambler and ICAP Leopard lead Fastnet

by RORC on 15 Aug 2007 The fresh breeze continues to power the Rolex Fastnet Race fleet towards the Fastnet Rock. While the current wind direction across most of the Celtic Sea and including the Fastnet Rock is southwesterly with a wind strength of Force 6/7.

Race leaders ICAP Leopard and Rambler continue to drag race together towards the Fastnet Rock at 15 knots. On board the US entry, Rambler, skipper Ken Read recapped the race so far,

'The predicted first front came with a southerly shift and very squally, rainy and windy conditions for us between Start Point and Land’s End….full on and of course it has to be at night! We can report virtually no breakage even after some 40 knot squalls all tight reaching. Sometimes a bad combo as boats this fast tend to be hard to slow down and have a tendency to launch off a wave with bone chilling crashes when you land.'

Read continued, 'eight headsail changes and about ten reefs/unreefs, late morning came past Land’s End and a completely unpredicted lull. Went from a blast reacher with a single reef, to drifting and slatting in a matter of minutes, and as the sun rose we realized we were in a park up with Leopard, and several of the 60’s all around us.'

Clearly, enjoying the current conditions, Read described the passage across the Celtic Sea, so far, 'about 0700 the southerly re-filled and we have had a very pleasant few hours blasting across the Celtic Sea with our code 0 up and averaging speeds in the high teens. But this won’t last long…. we will have the #4 or storm jib up again with a reef or three in order to get to the Fastnet Rock in once piece and try to keep close tabs on Leopard. All in all, an awesome race so far.'

From the Fastnet Rock, RORC race officers are reporting poor visibility in thick fog. They are expecting the front-runners around 6pm BST. The foreast at the Rock is for the southwesterly to remain until late this evening, and then after midnight the breeze is expected to drop and by Wednesday morning to have shifted to the northwest and settled at in around Force 6/7 (22 – 38 knots).

Leading Rankings at 17:30 14/08/2007

Pos - - name - - - class - - TCC - - DTF - - - Elapsed time

1 Courrier Du Coeur Z 1.106 360.94 30:10:00
2 Chieftan IRCSZ Canting Keel 1.328 319.63 29:50:00
3 Desperado of Cowes Z 1.133 358.61 30:10:00
4 JB 3 Z 1.113 363.74 30:10:00
5 Rambler SZ 1.679 252.17 29:50:00
6 Venom SZ 1.423 313.02 29:50:00
7 Codiam ENSPjuni Z 1.15 368.31 29:50:00
8 Loki SZ 1.411 315.72 29:50:00
9 Foggy Dew 2 0.997 393.28 30:50:00
10 Pacific Interiors Sailplane Z 1.127 372.15 30:10:00
11 Snow Lion Z 1.279 343.03 30:10:00
12 Bongani 2 1.038 387.43 30:50:00
13 Voador 2 1.016 392.05 30:50:00
14 Jaguar Logic 1 1.069 387 30:05:00
15 TFS Philosophie IV 1 1.065 385.54 30:30:00
16 Scarlet Oyster 1 1.064 386.74 30:30:00
17 Formidable 3 SZ 1.367 333.32 29:50:00
18 Erivale III Z 1.12 379.45 30:10:00
19 Antares 2 1.04 390.96 30:50:00
20 Chernikeeff 2 SZ 1.315 345.42 29:50:00
21 Charisma Z 1.11 383.62 30:10:00
22 Reindeer 2 0.998 401.38 30:50:00
23 Endeavour Z 1.141 379.16 30:10:00
24 Manhattan Furniture 1 1.061 393.88 30:30:00
25 Incognito 1 1.062 393.96 30:30:00
26 Jeba 1 1.07 393.26 30:30:00
27 Tigo IV 3 0.947 415.05 31:10:00
28 Exabyte 3 Z 1.147 383.86 30:10:00
29 Hooligan VI Z 1.173 380.04 30:10:00
30 ICAP Leopard 3 IRCSZ Canting Keel 1.886 251.74 29:50:00
31 Palanad II Z 1.293 362.65 30:10:00
32 Norddeutsche Vermoegen Hamburg Z 1.261 368.71 30:10:00
33 Cavatina 3 0.927 425.13 31:10:00
34 Persephone of London 3 0.987 413.92 31:10:00

Retired boats at 18:00hrs 14/08/2007

Acheron
Act of Defiance
Alfa Romeo
Alice 2
Anchorman
Anna
Aquaholix
Arcsine
Aria
Ariel
Ariel
Athena
Aviva
Azure
Batfish II
Beluga
Blue Nights
Blueprint
BoJangles
Brave
Brightwork
Buccaneer of Upnor
Canberra Star
Charisma NED 7465
Cheetah of Plymouth
Chichester Psalm
Cimaroon
Cornwall Playing for Success
Cosmic Dancer III
Costain
Cougar
Dans la Rouge
Discoverer
Discovery
DSK Comifin
Earendil
Educacion Sin Fronteras
Emma
Endurance
Environment Online
Equilibrium
EuphoriX
Fair Do's VII
Fay J
Flame
Floating Voater
Fraxious
Freckles
Galileo
Gem
Gilly B
Gloria Mundi
Great Escape of Southampton
Groupe Partouche
Guts N Glory
Habanero
Heartbeat 3 of Burnham
Hearty Harry
Holmen Paper
Hummingbird
Ilex of Upnor
Imarra
Incisor of Wight
Inschallah V1
Inschallah VI
Intuition
Iromiguy
Isobar
Jacana
Jackdaw
Jambalaya
Jangada Too
Java
Jee-Raft
Jellina
Jitters
John Merricks
Joopster
JourneyMaker 5
Jump
Jump
La Baleine IV
Lady Nadia
Lascar
Lickety Split
Linklaters
Lion
L'isme of Guernsey
Longbow
Longue Pierre
Lowly Worm
MAC Mission
Maverik 2
Mefisto
Meta Baron
Moana
MoonraKer
Moonshadow II
Moshulu
Mystery
Night Owl
Nimrod
No Fear
Northern Child of St Peter Port
Old Mother Gun
Optim'X
Ortac
Outlandish
Outsider
Oxygen III
Oz Privateer
Oz Privateer
Panda Nova II
Parallel Blue
Persistence
Pi Squared
Pink Panther
Psipsina
Puma Logic
Quinta
Rackham
Rafiki
Rangatira
Red Arrow
Redcoat II
Roaring Again
Rosinante
Rumpleteazer
Samantha
Selene
Serefe of Shorham
Silver Fox of Sussex
Simply the Best
Sjambok
Skipjack of Cowes
Sonic Boom
Spirit of Juno
Spirit of Minerva
Stamina II
Star Chaser
Sunsail 56
Talisman
Tamar Swallow
Tanit
Tanit
Tarka
Team Eberspacher
Team Rocela
Teng Tools
Thunder 2
Tilting at Windmills
Tresca
Truant
Ulula
Vega
Venemous
Veolia Environement
Vitesse
White Knight of Wessex
White Knight V
Wild Spirit
Windsong
X-to-Sea
Yani
Yani
Yeoman XXXII
Zelda