J Boats armada for 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race
by Key Yachting 16 Jan 2021 22:18 AEDT
Christopher Daniel's J/122 Juno © Paul Wyeth
Forty-Seven J Boats have entered the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race, the largest number of entries by a single boat brand, in the world's largest offshore race.
A record entry of over 500 yachts is expected to start the race in Cowes, on 8th August 2021. Notably the first entry was a J Boat! Eva Herman's J/122 Juliett Romeo.
For the last four decades, J Boats have featured in every edition of the race. For the 49th edition, 12 different designs of the J Boats range will be racing. J-Composites, French builder for J Boats, will be competing on one of four J/99s entered for the race.
The overall winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race is decided by IRC time correction, and all of the J Boats qualify for the top honour, as well as individual IRC class prizes. The extra-ordinary list of J Boats competing includes 16 J/109 teams racing for their own prize, the J/109 RORC Trophy. Key Yachting's Wayne Palmer, who has competed in two previous races, has entered his J/109 Flying Jackal.
Proven race winners flying the J Boats flag include Michael O'Donnell's J/121 Darkwood, overall winner of the 2019 RORC Channel Race and the 2019 Performance 40 Champion, Christopher Daniel's J/122 Juno.
"The Rolex Fastnet Race is one of the toughest there is, so to have so many J Boats taking part is testament to the quality of the yachts," commented Wayne Palmer. "Key Yachting wishes all of the competing yachts all the best for their racing programme for the RORC Season's Points Championship. For the big event in August, if at all possible, we will have a Key Yachting celebration at the finish in Cherbourg."
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