Fastnet Race Day 5 0800 - A slowly rising southwest breeze through the night has put fresh purpose into the on-track progress of the large fleet of Fastnet racers still at sea, but by early afternoon today (Wednesday) in the Western Approaches, it will be showing signs of getting beyond the comfort zone and into an area of driving rain and near or real gales, still from the southwest.
Initially, this will not be of undue concern to those who are safely in past the Isles of Scilly, well on their way to the finish at Cherbourg.
Of the key boats mentioned yesterday, the Fournier family's J/133 Pintia is still holding off the challenge of defending champion Tom Kneen's JPK 11.80 Sunrise III for the IRC1 overall lead, though it is very close. Both are at mid-channel due south of Plymouth, with 112 miles still to sail.
Tight racing in the Fastnet Race's IRC 1 division as defending champion Tom Kneen's JPK 11.80 Sunrise III (GBR 888x) is in close quarters with Germany's Ginkgo Sailing Team, a Humphreys 39 Photo: David Sheridan
MALUKA AT FASTNET THIS MORNING
Back at the Fastnet Rock, however, the race's novelty entrant, the completely-restored 1932-vintage 30ft Sydney Harbour gaff cutter Maluka - sailed by Sean Langman and a crew of many talents, including Gordon Maguire - has finally got back up to speed, and is due to round the Rock in the early part of this morning, fourth in IRC4 and first in IRC4B.
They'll know they will inevitably be placed precisely to "enjoy" the most demanding weather this evening as they trek back to the Isle of Scilly.
MIXED BAG OF PLACINGS FOR IRISH BOATS
Overall, the best-placed of the Irish contingent after nearly four days of racing is Mike O'Donnell's J/121 Darkwood from the Royal Irish YC - she's ninth in Class 1 against a class of 55 boats still racing and a healthy 25th in the enormous overall fleet, while currently making 8.3 knots eastward between the Isles of Scilly and Land's End.
Robert Rendell's Gran Soleil 44 Samatom (Howth YC) is next best at 15th, having opened out a bit of a lead on Pwllheli's Andrew and Sam Hall in the Lombard 45 Pata Negra, which is now back on 19th.
NIEULARGO HAD STARTED VERY WELL
IRC 2 had started very well indeed for Royal Cork's Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo (Denis Murphy), but the very rugged early stages took their toll on a family crew, and Nielargo has since then been fairly consistently around 25th in a class which is still racing 55 boats. Also in Class 2, the Pride of Kilmore Quay in County Wexford, Keith Millar's Mills 36 Prime Suspect, has stuck the pace and is currently two-thirds of the way back into Land's End and making 7 knots at 07.35 hrs this morning (Wednesday) at 9th in IRC2A, while Nieulargo is 15th in IRC 2b.
Bernese Mountain dog Sandy O'Leary cheers on her Royal Cork club mates in the Grand Soleil 40 Nieulargo from a certain mark of the Fastnet Race course
Meanwhile, IRC 4, in addition to Maluka, has Noel Coleman's Oyster 37 Blue Oyster (RCYC) in a family effort, and as of this morning, they lie 19th in class, one place ahead of the Dun Laoghaire Sigma 38 State O'Chassis (Mike Murphy and Kevin Buckley) which in turn is a place clear of the Dunmore East Fulmar 32 Fulmar Fever (Robert Marchant).
MALUKA MEETING FULL ATLANTIC
This morning's special focus will be on Malukaa, as it will be the first time she has dealt with the open Atlantic in a full-throated frame of mind. That said, she dealt with the wind-over-tide gale in the English Channel in the early stages with aplomb, so her performance should be a matter of admiration rather than apprehension.
