First Fastnet finishers arrive in Cherbourg, RS Aero Worlds review, Isle of Wight circumnavigation
by David Schmidt 29 Jul 2025 08:00 PDT
July 29, 2025
The Ultim trimaran SVR Lazartigue was the first yacht to round the Fastnet Rock in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2025 © Rolex / Kurt Arrigo
When the conversation turns to the world's greatest middle-distance bluewater races, talk tends to linger on the Rolex Fastnet Race, which started on Saturday, July 26, and for great reason. The course wends through historic waters and typically challenges crews with a range of conditions, angles, and sea states. And while the previous two editions of this storied race featured "nautical" conditions (read: big breeze and accompanying seas), this year's 100th anniversary of this classic offshore contest has proved to be a more user-friendly affair.
For anyone who is just recently tuning into high-level offshore racing, the Fastnet Race starts off of Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, and takes the fleet through the Solent to the Needles Channel; from there, the course aims west along the English Channel before rounding Land's End. Next, the fleet crosses the Celtic Sea, rounds Fastnet Rock and its world-famous lighthouse, before largely retracing its tacks (and jibes), rounding the Isles of Scilly, and fetching the finishing line off of Cherbourg, France.
Not surprisingly, the star-studded crew aboard skipper Tom Laperche's Ultim trimaran, SVR Lazartigue, took line honors in the centennial edition of the Fastnet Race, dispatching the (ballpark) 695 nautical-mile course in just 1 day, 17 hours, and 18 minutes. While this was about eight hours slower than the foiling boat's record run in 2023, it was fast enough to earn the race's first finishing gun.
"The race was different, more strategic and tactical," said Laperche, in an official communication. "The windiest part was 20 knots, whereas last year it was 35."
Impressively, in this year's Fastnet Race, SVR Lazartigue was one of four Ultim-class trimarans out of more than 440 yachts that were competing.
"Two entries in the Rolex Fastnet Race and two wins aboard Trimaran SVR-Lazartigue - I'm thrilled," said Laperche, in an official communication. "This race is a huge part of sailing history, and it really means something, especially this year with four Ultim boats on the start line.
Laperche's star-studded crew, it should be noted, consisted of Amélie Grassi, Antoine Gautier, Emilien Lavigne, round-the-world record holder Franck Cammas and three-time America's Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist Peter Burling.
As of this writing (Monday morning, U.S. West Coast time), a glance at the race's leaderboard reveals that all four of the Ultims had crossed the finish line, as had two MOD 70 trimarans, while other fast multis were showing less than 100 miles left to race.
On the monohull side, Black Jack 100, SHK Scallywag, and Leopard 3 all had between 75 and 97 nautical miles to go, followed by two Volvo Open 70s, Roy Disney's Pyewacket 70 and Christian Zugel's Tschüss 2, the later of which had 117 and 150 nautical miles to go (respectively).
"Although the racetrack has featured a lot more upwind sailing than we are accustomed to, we've had a close battle with Tschüss 2 for the entire race," reported Peter Isler, who is navigating Pyewacket 70. "As in this year's Caribbean 600 she is proving to be well sailed and fast when close reaching and upwind. We are hoping to find our edge on the downwind portion of the racetrack, as our turbo charged configuration (taller mast, longer sprit and deeper foils) comes with a significant handicap cost."
Be sure to stay current with the website as more news from this year's Rolex Fastnet Race breaks.
And, for anyone who loves imagery of some of the world's coolest boats being sailed in anger, be sure to spend some time scrolling through Ingrid Abery, and David Harding, and David Maynard's great starting-line galleries.
Speaking of this part of the world, the 7th RS Aero World Championship and the 4th RS Aero Youth World Champion regattas are set to unfurl this week (July 27-August 2) on the waters off of the Quiberon Peninsula, in southern Brittany, France. More than 170 competitors from 17 countries have registered across all four different RS Aero rig sizes.
Cooler still, the RS Aero class is supporting Ukrainian humanitarian relief efforts, so be sure to look for competitors displaying a Ukrainian sail sticker alongside their own national flag in event media.
Racing starts Tuesday and runs through Saturday, August 2. Provided that conditions cooperate, event organizers aim to score 14 races over these five days.
Meanwhile, much closer to home, Bob Hughes's Heartbreaker team recently swept the GL52 class in both the Bayview Mackinac Race (which started on July 12) and the Chicago Yacht Club's Mackinac Race (which started on July 19).
"It always starts with the crew and ends with the crew," said Hughes in an GL Series communication. "In distance racing you've always got to get a couple of breaks that go your way, but for us, all of these races are always about trying to win in the GL52 fleet. Anything else that happens after that is just icing on the cake."
Part of that icing, said Hughes, came courtesy of Kyle Jones, who has sailed in well over 20 Mac races, but this year stepped up to serve as Heartbreaker's navigator for both races. "In the past we've had professional navigators from all over come in, and with Kyle navigating for the first time, he wins both Mac races overall," said Hughes. "He's amazing."
Finally, Catalonian sailor Dani A. Pich has entered the history books as the first blind person to circumnavigate the UK's Isle of Wight. Pich completed the sail in 13 hours and 8 minutes aboard a catamaran that sails sans rudder, boom, or centerboards (the boat uses body positioning to trim its course).
"I have to thank so many people who supported my challenge around the Isle of Wight, and especially the East Cowes Sailing Club for treating me as a sailor and seeing beyond my disability," said Pich in an official release. "I have been met with nothing but positivity from the very first day that we arrived in East Cowes and I have made friends for life. Instead of saying "no" everyone said "yes" and made the challenge possible."
Impressively, the point of Pinch's circumnavigation was to raise awareness about getting sailing re-instated into the Paralympic Games.
May the four winds blow you safely home.
David Schmidt
Sail-World.com North American Editor