Rolex Fastnet Race : Off to a good start!

The Solent was packed today with racing yachts for the 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race, despite a challenging weather forecast around 450 yachts were on the start line of the race. 

The Rolex Fastnet Race is renowned for being a particularly difficult race, yet this addition has attracted a record number of entrants. Starting off Cowes on the Isle of Wight, UK, this legendary race takes its participants to the Fastnet Rock off the south-west coast of Ireland, before returning to Cherbourg in France. The course is 695 nautical miles long, and in this edition, it is anticipated that records will be broken.

Although the start of this year's race was in less-than-ideal weather conditions, it didn't deter Clarisse Crémer and Alan Roberts from taking the start. Clarisse was delighted to be back racing, after more than a year of absence due to her maternity leave. On the pontoons this morning, her emotion and adrenalin were palpable “I had been waiting for this moment for a long time, I’m stressed but it’s a good stress, I’m excited to go racing”.

 On the water, once the start was given, Clarisse and Alan had a clean start and quickly managed to position themselves well in the 29-strong IMOCA fleet. Two hours after the start, they were still in 6th IMOCA position, a remarkable ranking considering they have only had a few hours of training in the boat. But as we all know, this is very early in the race and as this evening the wind is set to strengthen further and the swell to intensify, preserving the boat and keeping the crew in good condition is their priority .