Please select your home edition
Edition
C-Tech 2021 SnuffAir 728x90 TOP

Fastnet Rock: Milestone for "Einstein"

by Offshore Team Germany 8 Aug 2019 06:33 PDT
Strong wind in the Irish Sea - The Rolex Fastnet Race gave the team an insight into what the Ocean Race will be like © OTG

The IMOCA Open 60 of Offshore Team Germany (OTG) has made a strong comeback on the racecourse. In the Rolex Fastnet Race, the crew of the "Einstein" with skipper Robert Stanjek and navigator Conrad Colman crossed the finish line ranked16th of 390 yachts.

More important than the success on the racecourse, however, was the knowledge that could be drawn from the offshore debut after the complete refit of the yacht. Even with the old sails and still without foils, "Einstein" proved to be a high-performance competitor and showed that an IMOCA Open 60 can be sailed to its potential with a crew of just five. The performance was well-received by the IMOCA Class and the team of the "The Ocean Race", who inquired about the crew's experience at sea as the around the world stage race will use this crew configuration in 2021-22.

"It was a successful test. I am very happy - about the performance of the boat and the whole team", said team manager Jens Kuphal, who was aboard as an onboard reporter, after the 605 nautical mile-long ride. "It was a fantastic moment to ride around the rock in the middle of the night. A great moment for any sailor - but in this case also for Einstein. After more than six years of waiting, it now has returned to the regatta course."

From Cowes through the Solent and the English Channel out into the Irish Sea, around the famous Fastnet Rock and back to Plymouth in southern England, the yacht mastered a wide variety of conditions - from calm in the English Channel to stormy conditions in the Irish Sea. "Einstein" proved her speed out on the water: As the only IMOCA in the IRC field, the OTG team started 75 minutes after the other 20 classmates sailing double-handed. After a sailed time of two days, three hours, 28 minutes and 33 seconds Robert Stanjek, Conrad Colman and the rest of the crew Annie Lush, Ian Smyth and Phillip Kasüske were over the finish line as ninth IMOCA leaving behind some foilers of the first generation.

The mixture of Colman's and Lush's circumnavigation experience as well as Stanjek's, Lush's and Kasüske's training in Olympic classes proved to be very successful. "It turned out that it's not only the boat that counts, but also how to sail it," Kuphal said and was thrilled at the last miles before the finish when the "Einstein" team overtook three competitors thanks to better tactics. Even yachts like the powerful VO65 "Team Brunel", which had a lead of almost one hour at Fastnet Rock, finished 22 minutes behind the OTG crew. "The Olympic training pays off here. Annie Lush worked hard on the trim and pushed the boat in every phase as Phillip Kaüske steered the IMOCA almost like a Finn", adds Kuphal.

In the home port of Gosport near Southhampton, OTG Technical Project Manager Joff Brown received the crew satisfied. His right-hand man, Boat Captain Ian Smyth, was positive about the boat: "The team worked very well. There is little that should have been done differently. We drove a very good speed. I'm curious to see how the performance with foils will be. I'm looking forward to it."

For Robert Stanjek it was the first real opportunity to push "Einstein" after the previous test runs "We wanted to get a feeling for the new Ocean Race setup with a crew of five. It's very intense because five crew isn't a large team. Everyone has to fight. You have to have very good energy management. We have done well, the boat has shown that it has potential. I'm very happy - with the crew and with the hardware."

Annie Lush could only agree: "I am very tired but very happy. We sailed together in this configuration for the first time and pushed each other to the top. There's always room for improvement, but we didn't make any fundamental mistakes. I'm happy to be on board." Even Phillip Kaüske, who is accustomed to the highest physical efforts from his Olympic campaign, had to catch his breath after the finish: "It's so much more exhausting than I expected. But we made it to the finish and sailed super on top of that. It's really awesome on the boat - fast, and there's always something to do."

IMOCA expert Conrad Colman, finisher of the Vendée Globe 2016/17, paid tribute to the rebuilding of the yacht, "We had a mix of everything: strong wind and light wind, upwind and downwind. And crucially: We had reaching conditions and made a spectacular discovery. Einstein' loves reach conditions. It was such fun sailing the boat." Although the New Zealander made a career as a solo sailor, he was enthusiastic about the crew work: "The Fastnet Race gave us an insight into what the Ocean Race will be like. Basically, it still feels like solo sailing with this crew, but we have a lot more hands to pull the sheets, more people to discuss tactics with. You can motivate yourself and work together in the decisive moments. If that's the case at the Ocean Race, it will be fun."

The first regatta test for the Offshore Team Germany and the "Einstein" has been passed, now it's time to sharpen the profile as an IMOCA team with a full crew: "The Fastnet Race was the first milestone. From here we will go step by step to be at the start line of 'The Ocean Race' in Alicante in 2021".

Related Articles

Team Malizia starts Course Des Caps
Challenging race around the British Isles Team Malizia set sail today from Boulogne-sur-Mer, kicking off the inaugural Course des Caps race in light winds and challenging conditions with a solid start. Posted on 29 Jun
Holcim-PRB set off on the Course des Caps
With Nicolas Lunven, Franck Cammas, Annemieke Bes, Alan Roberts, and onboard reporter Anne Beauge Today at 2:00 PM (French time), the IMOCA Holcim-PRB set off on the Course des Caps Boulogne sur Mer - Banque Populaire du Nord, a challenging route of over 2,000 nautical miles around the British Isles. Posted on 29 Jun
Rolex Fastnet Race at 100 – the making of a giant
At present 469 yachts have entered this special edition - a far cry from its humble origins in 1925 One month remains until the 26 July start of the Rolex Fastnet Race, this year celebrating both its centenary as well as that of the club it spawned: the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Posted on 27 Jun
Crew dynamics will be decisive in Course des Caps
Just two days to go before the start of the first race of the eagerly-awaited 2025 IMOCA season With just two days to go before the start of the first race of the eagerly-awaited 2025 IMOCA season, all eyes are on Boulogne-Sur-Mer as 11 crews prepare to race around the British Isles in the Course des Caps-Boulogne sur Mer-Banque Populaire du Nord. Posted on 27 Jun
Francesca Clapcich to co-skipper Team Malizia
In the Course des Caps round Britain & Ireland Race Italian/American offshore sailor Francesca Clapcich will join Malizia-Seaexplorer as co-skipper for the inaugural edition of the Course des Caps-Boulogne sur Mer - Banque Populaire du Nord. Posted on 27 Jun
Team Be Water Positive The Ocean Race Europe crew
Scott Shawyer will skipper Team Be Water Positive in the fully crewed offshore challenge this summer Canada Ocean Racing - Team Be Water Positive today announces its 2025 The Ocean Race Europe crew led by Canadian skipper Scott Shawyer and featuring five other accomplished names in offshore sailing. Posted on 27 Jun
Can a maxi achieve the Rolex Fastnet Race triple?
The fight to claim the prestigious monohull line honours prize is lining up to be a tough one The fight to claim the prestigious monohull line honours prize in the centenary edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's Rolex Fastnet Race is lining up to be a tough one between the world's fastest 100ft maxi yachts. Posted on 25 Jun
Charlie Dalin forced to cancel his 2025 season
Sam Goodchild and Loïs Berrehar to helm MACIF Santé Prévoyance for the Transat Café L'OR Due to health reasons, Charlie Dalin has been forced to cancel his 2025 season. However, in close consultation with his team, the skipper of the IMOCA MACIF Santé Prévoyance and Macif have decided to maintain the ambitious racing schedule. Posted on 24 Jun
Tom Dolan joins Jérémie Beyou aboard Charal
Set for his debut race in the IMOCA class - the Course des Caps There's a hint of an Irish lilt echoing along the docks of northern France, carrying with it a quiet but unmistakable sense of excitement. Posted on 24 Jun
Prysmian & Giancarlo Pedote conclude collaboration
Closing this chapter with gratitude, ready to face new challenges After 18 years of successful collaboration, Prysmian has decided to end our partnership. I would like to warmly thank all the people at Prysmian with whom I have had the privilege of working. Posted on 24 Jun
Zhik 2024 DecemberArmstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - BOTTOMBarton Marine Pipe Glands