23 Class40s ready to start the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race this Saturday
by Class40 21 Jul 2023 05:59 PDT
22 July 2023
Spectators enjoying the start of the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race © Martin Allen Photography
The start of the 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race will be given this Saturday, July 22nd in Cowes (Isle of Wight, England). A record edition with over 500 boats at the start.
Among them, the 23 Class40 crews will attempt to stand out on this mythical 695-mile course. Competitors will set off in the direction of the Fastnet lighthouse, before heading for the finish off Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. It promises to be a spectacular start, as the Class40s will set off at 13:40 (local time), after the multihulls and IMOCAs. The first Class40s are expected to cross the finish line on Wednesday, July 26.
The contenders to succeed Antoine Magré, winner in 2021 after 3 days, 10 hours, 27 minutes and 25 seconds of racing. Coming from all over the world (Germany, Poland, England, Italy, France, United States), the Class40s promise to be a great match: the Italian delegation is the favorite with Ambrogio Beccaria (Alla Grande - Pirelli, winner of the CIC Normandy Channel Race), Alberto Bona (IBSA, recent winner of Les Sables-Horta) and Andrea Fornaro (Influence 2, systership of Beccaria's Musa).
But there are also many crews based in the English Channel who are perfectly aware of its pitfalls, such as the British crew of Brian Thompson and Alister Richardson (TQuila), or those of Normans Nicolas Jossier (La Manche Evidence nautique), Pierre-Louis Attwell (Vogue Avec un Crohn), Marc Lepesqueux (Curium Life Forward) or Thimoté Polet (Zeiss Weeecycling). But they're not the only ones hoping to add their names to the race's prestigious list of winners. Young Germans Lennart Burke and Melvin Fink from Sign for Call, talented Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio)...
The battle is also shaping up nicely between the 8 "sharp" entries. The American Kite crew now know their Mach3 inside out, and could well be the spoilsport among the scow.
See you in the middle of the week to find out who the winners are!
In short, our 23 Class 40s are ready for battle! To follow the race, visit the the Rolex Fastnet Race website or directly on the YB Races app.
See the entry list here.