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Fastnet Yacht Race. News from the RORC Offshore Race Event
Classic yacht Stormvogel returns having won line honours in 1961 and finished seventh overall in 2021
Appropriately, given the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race will be the 50th edition of the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s premier event, a significant number of classic yachts are entered, competing for the Dorade Cup. In 2021, Paul Moxon’s Amokura was the oldest boat in the race and…
Cork-based George Radley and a crew, including his son will compete on Imp, their famous 1976 Ron Holland-designed IOR 40, outright Fastnet Race winner in 1977
Cork Harbour's George Radley will contest this year's Fastnet Race on Imp, the outright Fastnet Race winner in 1977.  Radley and a crew, including his son, will compete on the blast from the past in the famous Ron Holland-designed IOR…
The 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race is on course for record entry
The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s new race entry system has been burning red hot since 1200 on Wednesday, January 11th, when registration opened for the 50th edition of the club’s flagship event, the Rolex Fastnet Race. By 1300 entries were…
The Rolex Fastnet Race is the world's largest offshore yacht race
With one week to go until the registration date for the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race, its organiser, the Royal Ocean Racing Club, has published the event Notice of Race. In addition to the broad details of the event, the NoR…
A new race entry system 'SailRaceHQ' has been launched by RORC
The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) has launched a new race entry system SailRaceHQ, replacing the old Sailgate system with immediate effect. 'Following a three-year study and build programme, SailRaceHQ is a totally new system that has many advantages and…
One Year to Go! The world's largest offshore race - The Rolex Fastnet Race starts on Saturday, 22 July 2023
A year from now the start gun will fire on what will be the most significant, historic edition of the world’s largest offshore yacht race. Setting sail from Cowes on Saturday 22nd July 2023 will be the 50th edition of…
Tally Ho pictured in 2017 before Leo Sampson Goolden began his restoration project
A historic gaff cutter that won the Fastnet Race in 1927 and was saved from the scrapyard in 2017 is gradually being restored to its former glory — but needs support to keep the project going. Tally Ho was built…
The rounding of Ireland's Fastnet Rock is a memorable moment for every competitor
Following the success of the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race from Cowes to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) and its French partners are delighted to announce the date for the next edition of its flagship event in 2023. The…
RL Sailing finishes at Cherbourg to record a five hour win in the Figaro 3 Two-Handed Division in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2021
Afloat reported in August that the Irish duo of Kenny Rumball and Pamela Lee aboard RL Sailing had been denied a podium position in the Fastnet Race despite crossing the finishing line ahead of her class rivals. The Royal Ocean…
The crew of Desert Star, with the Fastnet finish approaching, buoyed up with success if red-eyed with exhaustion
When a sailing school boat of a certain maturity starts to show consistently well in open competition in the decidedly challenging Rolex Fastnet Race, people start to take notice. And as the new-style and longer Fastnet of 2021 progressed, that…
RL Sailing finishes at Cherbourg to record a five hour win in the Figaro 3 Two-Handed Division in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2021
Following a penalty handed down by the Fastnet Race jury, Pamela Lee of RL Sailing tells her side of the story Not until the late morning after our finish, after celebrating and being interviewed for our win, did we get…
Ad Fichou - Innovéo Bihannic was sailed by Yael Poupon and Victor Le Pape to victory in the Fastnet Race Figaro class
This year the Rolex Fastnet Race featured on the Classe Figaro calendar. Unfortunately, the proximity of it to the mid-August start of La Solitaire du Figaro, the class’ premier event and the effective World Championship of solo offshore racing, meant…
Pata Negra (Andrew Hall, Pwllheli SC), the latest addition to the ISORA fleet, has made her debut in her new role with some style, placing second in IRC1 and third overall in the Fastnet Race 2021
Yes indeed. With only a fortnight to go to the Golden Jubilee of ISORA's emergence from the old Northwest Offshore Association, Chairman Peter Ryan of Dun Laoghaire and Honorary Secretary Stephen Tudor of Pwllheli and their members can walk tall…
Sunrise, JPK 11.80 of Britain's Tom Kneen has been crowned overall winner of the 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race
Tom Kneen’s JPK 11.80 Sunrise has been crowned overall winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race. After being confirmed as the runaway winner of the IRC Two division yesterday, no other boat still racing on the 695 nautical mile course can…
Baltimore RNLI was launched last night (Thursday 12 August) to assist a yacht taking part in the Rolex Fastnet Race that was suffering power problems 1 mile east of the Fastnet Rock Lighthouse off the coast of West Cork. The…
Conor Totterdell (NYC) on the helm of Irish Offshore Sailing's Desert Star at the Fastnet Rock
Day 6 1100: For the last 36 hours and more, Irish offshore racing enthusiasts have been on the edge of their seats, willing Irish Offshore Sailing’s veteran Sunfast 37 Desert Star from Dun Laoghaire’s Irish Offshore Sailing to hang onto…

RORC Fastnet Race

This race is both a blue riband international yachting fixture and a biennial offshore pilgrimage that attracts crews from all walks of life:- from aspiring sailors to professional crews; all ages and all professions. Some are racing for charity, others for a personal challenge.

For the world's top professional sailors, it is a 'must-do' race. For some, it will be their first-ever race, and for others, something they have competed in for over 50 years! The race attracts the most diverse fleet of yachts, from beautiful classic yachts to some of the fastest racing machines on the planet – and everything in between.

The testing course passes eight famous landmarks along the route: The Needles, Portland Bill, Start Point, the Lizard, Land’s End, the Fastnet Rock, Bishop’s Rock off the Scillies and Plymouth breakwater (now Cherbourg for 2021 and 2023). After the start in Cowes, the fleet heads westward down The Solent, before exiting into the English Channel at Hurst Castle. The finish for 2021 is in Cherbourg via the Fastnet Rock, off the southern tip of Ireland.

  • The leg across the Celtic Sea to (and from) the Fastnet Rock is known to be unpredictable and challenging. The competitors are exposed to fast-moving Atlantic weather systems and the fleet often encounter tough conditions
  • Flawless decision-making, determination and total commitment are the essential requirements. Crews have to manage and anticipate the changing tidal and meteorological conditions imposed by the complex course
  • The symbol of the race is the Fastnet Rock, located off the southern coast of Ireland. Also known as the Teardrop of Ireland, the Rock marks an evocative turning point in the challenging race
  • Once sailors reach the Fastnet Rock, they are well over halfway to the finish in Cherbourg.

Fastnet Race - FAQs

The 49th edition of the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race will start from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, UK on Sunday 8th August 2021.

The next two editions of the race in 2021 and 2023 will finish in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin at the head of the Normandy peninsula, France

Over 300. A record fleet is once again anticipated for the world's largest offshore yacht race.

The international fleet attracts both enthusiastic amateur, the seasoned offshore racer, as well as out-and-out professionals from all corners of the world.

Boats of all shapes, sizes and age take part in this historic race, from 9m-34m (30-110ft) – and everything in between.

The Fastnet Race multihull course record is: 1 day 4 hours 2 minutes and 26 seconds (2019, Ultim Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, Franck Cammas / Charles Caudrelier)

The Fastnet Race monohull course record is: 1 day, 18 hours, 39 minutes (2011, Volvo 70, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing).

David and Peter Askew's American VO70 Wizard won the 2019 Rolex Fastnet Race, claiming the Fastnet Challenge Cup for 1st in IRC Overall.

Rolex SA has been a longstanding sponsor of the race since 2001.

The first race was in 1925 with 7 boats. The Royal Ocean Racing Club was set up as a result.

The winner of the first Fastnet Race was the former pilot cutter Jolie Brise, a boat that is still sailing today.

Cork sailor Henry P F Donegan (1870-1940), who gave his total support for the Fastnet Race from its inception in 1925 and competed in the inaugural race in his 43ft cutter Gull from Cork.

Ireland has won the Fastnet Race twice. In 1987 the Dubois 40 Irish Independent won the Fastnet Race overall for the first time and then in 2007 – all of twenty years after Irish Independent’s win – Ireland secured the overall win again this time thanks to Ger O’Rourke’s Cookson 50 Chieftain from the Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland in Kilrush.

©Afloat 2020

Fastnet Race 2023 Date

The 2023 50th Rolex Fastnet Race will start on Saturday, 22nd July 2023

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At A Glance – Fastnet Race

  • The world's largest offshore yacht race
  • The biennial race is 605 nautical miles - Cowes, Fastnet Rock, Plymouth
  • A fleet of over 400 yachts regularly will take part
  • The international fleet is made up of over 26 countries
  • Multihull course record: 1 day, 8 hours, 48 minutes (2011, Banque Populaire V)
  • Monohull course record: 1 day, 18 hours, 39 minutes (2011, Volvo 70, Abu Dhabi)
  • Largest IRC Rated boat is the 100ft (30.48m) Scallywag 100 (HKG)
  • Some of the Smallest boats in the fleet are 30 footers
  • Rolex SA has been a longstanding sponsor of the race since 2001
  • The first race was in 1925 with 7 boats. The Royal Ocean Racing Club was set up as a result

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