ICAP Leopard smashes Rolex Fastnet Race record

by Event media on 16 Aug 2007
ICAP Leopard, the Farr designed 100 foot super maxi yacht owned by Mike Slade, today smashed the Rolex Fastnet Race monohull record.

Sailing in brutal seas and winds of up to 40 knots, which have forced 186 yachts to retire from the race, ICAP Leopard completed the 608 mile course in just one day, 20 hours, 18 minutes and 53 seconds. Beating the previous record by an incredible eight hours and 50 minutes, ICAP Leopard crossed the Rolex Fastnet Race finish line in Plymouth, UK, at 08:53:53 BST this morning.

The Rolex Fastnet Race started off Cowes, Isle of Wight, on 13th August, following a 25 hour delay to the start of this classic race due to the forecasted adverse weather conditions. Skippered by Mike Slade and racing with a professional crew comprised of several Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Race and America’s Cup sailors, ICAP Leopard excelled in the windy conditions. Rounding the Fastnet Rock at 18:00:38 BST last night, the cutting edge super yacht shot back across the Irish Sea, to the finish line in Plymouth via Bishop’s Rock on the southern tip of the Isles of Scilly.

The Rolex Fastnet Race was ICAP Leopard’s first competitive offshore race. The previous record holder was Ross Field’s 80 foot maxi yacht RF Yachting, who in 1999 finished the race in two days, five hours and eight minutes. Several more boats finishing today are likely to better RF Yachting’s record this year.

To spice things up in this year’s Rolex Fastnet Race, Mike Slade, owner of ICAP Leopard, and his Kiwi adversary Neville Crichton, owner of Alfa Romeo, placed a wager based on which of the two yachts will be the first to cross the finish line in Plymouth. As they retired from the race on Monday evening, Alfa Romeo will be donating £5,000 to the Ellen MacArthur Trust, which gives children suffering from serious illnesses the opportunity to go sailing.

Mike Slade, Chief Executive of London based property company Helical Bar plc commented: 'What a race. We’re absolutely delighted to have shattered the Rolex Fastnet Race record. To finish almost nine hours faster than Ross Field’s 1999 record is fantastic. The crew of ICAP Leopard did a fantastic job of sailing this beast very fast but safely. ICAP Leopard handled really well in the strong winds and sailed beautifully. In this time of celebration for us, my condolences to those yachts who have been forced to retire from this year’s race, especially Alfa Romeo.'

ICAP Leopard’s star studded crew included Volvo Ocean Race veteran Jules Salter as tactician and navigator. Gordon Maguire, who has sailed four Whitbread/Volvo Ocean Races, was a key member of the afterguard providing support to both Mike and Jules tactically. Also racing were fellow Volvo Ocean Race sailors Jason Carrington, and Justin Slattery, as well as Alinghi’s America’s Cup winning bowman Jan Dekker and Team Shosholoza’s Paul Standbridge co-ordinating the 24 strong crew.