With a strong west-south-west headwind against a burgeoning but favourable ebb tide, the start today in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2021 of IRC3 - the biggest class numerically - was going to be a very tricky one to call and sail.
But the Murphy family’s Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo (Royal Cork YC) made it look almost easy, coming in from far out in the Solent very much under control on starboard tack through a fleet of milling boats, and then finding the perfect gap to throw onto port close under the inner end of the line at the Squadron battery, and head westward in clear air while a complete melee of boats close to leeward were making much noise and confusion getting in each other’s way.
As of 1340 hrs, the Race Tracker shows Nieulargo leading IRC 3, and performing well against the closest competition, but there’s a lot of sailing to be done before they get into clearer water at the Needles at the west end of the Isle of Wight.
Nieulargo's Fastnet Race start
Scrub to 2:03:09 on the timeline below to replay Nieulargo's start below
Class Zero monohulls
Out in open water meanwhile, while the 125ft Skorpios, has been leading the Class Zero mono-hulls as expected, George David’s Rambler 88 nevertheless now seems to be going every bit as fast as they feel the full effects of the English Channel sea conditions.