The 32m Ultim Trimaran SVR Lazartigue, skippered by François Gabart has taken multihull line honours in the 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race but in the severe conditions, HM Coastguard reported involvement in 28 incidents, including one sinking, as 86 competitors retired.

SVR Lazartigue completed the 690 nautical mile race in one day eight hours 38 minutes and 27 seconds, bettering the outright multihull race record, set by skippers Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas of Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in 2021 by 36 minutes and 27 seconds.

The 32m long by 23m wide, foil-borne, flying Ultim trimarans are by far the biggest, fastest offshore race boats in the world, with many believing that their covering 1,000 miles in a day is a case of ‘not if, but when.’ Inevitably they are sailed by the best of the best offshore sailors: Gabart and Le Cléac’h, for example, are both Vendée Globe winners (2012 and 2016) respectively.

‘Brutal’ 2023 Fastnet Race

The win came after the fleet endured gale force winds on their first night at sea (22 July 2023).

The ‘brutal’ first night saw numerous retirements and many others seeking temporary shelter from the gale force conditions in the English Channel. For example, wind data from Hurst Castle at 20:10 BST on Saturday night recorded 38 knots, gusting 43.

From the 430 official starters (excluding 15 DNS), 86 officially retired, comprising 78 across the IRC fleet (the biggest number being 27 in IRC Two) plus two Class40s, two IMOCAs, three MOCRA multihulls and one Ocean 50 trimaran.

In a statement about the boat that sunk the Rolex Fastnet Race race committee said:

“At approximately 16:30 yesterday (22 July) afternoon the Sun Fast 3600 Vari began to take on water southwest of the Needles. Thanks to the swift response of the emergency services both crew members were evacuated to Yarmouth, Isle of Wight and are safe and well. The boat is believed to have sunk although the exact reasons are not yet confirmed.”

Several calls to HM Coastguard were to do with injured crew. Otherwise, four yachts dismasted – Heather Tarr’s Yoyo from Ireland; Nick Martin’s Diablo; Bertrand Daniels’ Mirabelle and Tapio Lehtinen’s Swan 55 yawl Galiana (due to compete in the Ocean Globe Race shortly). In addition Azora sustained broken steering, Dulcissima a loss of rigging, while Richard Matthews’ CF520 Oystercatcher XXXV sustained deck failure and Oida ran aground after her anchor dragged. There were several other incidents in which HM Coastguard was not involved, including the mast foot exploding on Long Courrier who retired to Cowes – the only occasion race veteran and 2015 winner Géry Trentesaux has retired from this race.

In addition, 15 registered entries didn’t start, including one of the race favourites – Peter Morton’s Maxi 72 Notorious in IRC Super Zero.

Many more sought shelter after starting. A trio of French offshore racing legends were among a group that returned to Cowes: Marc Guillemot’s WellnessTraining/MG5, Roland Jourdain’s Outremer 59 We Explore and the Fife classic Moonbeam on which round the world record breaker and former Vendée Globe race director Jacques Caraes is skipper.

Round the corner in Osborne Bay was Michael Orgzey’s Swan 48’s Dantes, in Newtown Creek was Martin Andrews Cork Malt II, with an additional 13 in Yarmouth. Having braved Poole Bay, four were in Poole Harbour; five in Studland Bay, one in Swanage, three in Weymouth and 15 in Portland Harbour. The majority resumed sailing Sunday morning as conditions abated.

RNLI reports harrowing detail of Fastnet race

Poole lifeboat station said it attended yachts encountering problems on Saturday evening in ‘lively’ conditions during ‘relentless heavy rain’.

Swanage RNLI attended an incident 3nm east of Ballard Down.

‘The casualty was on board a yacht taking part in the Fastnet race,” reads the statement. ‘They had suffered a head injury, had been knocked overboard and then dragged through the water by their lifeline until the yacht’s crew could get them onboard. The casualty was slipping in and out of consciousness and required immediate medical assistance.

‘The coastguard helicopter from South Wales, ‘Rescue 187’ was hovering overhead but had been unable to put their paramedic aboard because of the adverse conditions. The helicopter was running low on fuel but were able to remain on scene until the lifeboat arrived. Once on scene the yacht was requested to head in to the wind to slow it down and reduce the boat’s motion as much as possible. The lifeboat came alongside the yacht and transferred two casualty care trained crew members a first aid kit and oxygen. The helicopter had been overhead illuminating the scene but now had to depart to refuel.

‘An assessment of the casualty was done, immediate evacuation was required and an ambulance requested. The yacht followed the lifeboat in to the calmer waters of Studland Bay so the casualty could be transferred safely. Once in calmer waters a stretcher passed across and the casualty carefully secured in to it. Whilst this was being done the yacht picked up a mooring and the lifeboat tied up alongside. The casualty and one of their crew mates were transferred to the lifeboat then best speed was made to the ferry steps just inside Poole Harbour where an ambulance was waiting.’

In January 2023, Steve Cole was appointed RORC racing manager. Cole is from Gurnard on the Isle of Wight and has been a senior member of the RORC Racing team for the last five years. Prior to joining RORC, Cole was managing director of Cowes Yacht Haven for six years and was joint owner of a boatyard in East Cowes.

Images courtesy of Rolex Fastnet Paul Wyeth.

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