First Rock roundings

Mike Slade's ICAP Leopard first to the Fastnet but who will fare best back to Bishop's Rock?

At 00:26 GMT this morning Mike Slade’s 100ft supermaxi ICAP Leopard was the first boat in the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race to round the Fastnet Rock off the coast of southwestern Ireland. In a 10-15 knot westerly breeze, Karl Kwok’s Farr 80 Beau Geste rounded at approximately 04:00 GMT followed by the IRC Class SZ leader on handicap, Niklas Zennström’s Judel-Vrolijk 72 Ran 2 at 05:07:55 GMT. Behind them were a gaggle of boats led by the first two IMOCA Open 60s, Sam Davies and Sidney Gavignet on the fully crewed Artemis Ocean Racing, 10 minutes ahead of Seb Josse’s BT IMOCA 60, the first doublehanded entry in the Rolex Fastnet Race.

Sam Davies reported: “Well, Artemis Ocean Racing is zipping along downwind towards the Scillies! We rounded the Rock at about 8 am in FIRST position in the IMOCA fleet. We are very happy with this result so far, but there is still a long way to go so we are pushing hard to try to keep our lead.”



“We are all trying to get a bit of rest, and we are going to eat a lot as I'm not sure we have eaten or drunk enough, compared to the energy we are using! Sidney has not yet opened his bottle of red wine (how FRENCH!! I didn't think anyone did that anymore!). If we need to lighten the boat in the downwind leg he may have to drink it for the performance and boat-speed!!”

“I have thought a lot about how Sidney and I will manage Artemis Ocean Racing with just the two of us - it is nice to sail with Gringo and Gareth to learn more about the boat and how to optimise everything. One thing I am not too happy about is the sleeping arrangements - I need more comfort than having to curl up in a soggy sail bag. It's OK for just three days of the Fastnet race, but I will have to put my "girly" foot down and argue my case for a bed before we set off on the TJV! Apart from that it is a pleasure to sail Artemis Ocean Racing and with a great crew, both good fun to be with and very, very professional in the way we are sailing.”

Behind them en route to the Pantaneus buoy, the offset mark southwest of the Fastnet, at 0800 GMT were two more IMOCA 60s, Volvo Ocean Race winner Mike Sanderson on Pindar, just ahead of Frenchman Marc Guillemot on the Verdier/VPLP designed Safran. The Italian America’s Cup team, with Volvo Ocean Race winner Torben Grael on the STP65 Luna Rossa, rounded at 07:54 GMT, having suffered slightly by approaching the Fastnet Rock from a more northerly angle.

At the time the Italians had Dee Caffari’s IMOCA Open 60 Aviva on their tail. Earlier Caffari reported: “We had more breeze than we anticipated overnight which means we will be rounding the Fastnet Rock just in time for breakfast. We have sight of at least four other Open 60s showing just how close this race is.” Roger Sturgeon’s American STP65 Rosebud/Team DYT was expected at the Fastnet Rock an hour after Aviva.

With the forecast showing an area of high pressure encroaching on the southwest of the British Isles over the course of today, so in order to remain in the strongest breeze, ICAP Leopard has taken a radical northerly route towards Bishops Rock, the next mark of the course, located to the west of the Scilly Isles, 150 miles southeast of the Fastnet. While Slade’s supermaxi is on a heading taking her towards the Bristol Channel, Beau Geste and Ran 2 are sticking closer to the rhumb line. The forecasts are undecided on which will be the better tactic - Slade’s approach is longer but should ensure they stay in breeze, the direct route is more risky, but shorter.

The bulk of the Rolex Fastnet Race fleet are this morning between the Lizard and one third of the way across the Celtic Sea towards the Fastnet Rock. Half way to the Rock, La Floresta Del Mer, the Swan 56 skippered by Jamie Olazabal remains the IRC Z leader, while the three small IRC classes all have French handicap leaders: the Grand Soleil 43 Codiam in IRC 1, while Didier Darbot’s Sphinx 33 Parsifal still leads IRC 2 and is located just to the north of the Scilly Isles, just ahead of Fabrice Tropes’s Dufour 34, Major Tom, the new IRC 3 leader.

Meanwhile overnight Tanguy de LaMotte and his Initiatives Saveurs - Novedia Group have taken the lead in the Class 40s.

Depending upon her progress today, ICAP Leopard is expected in Plymouth late this evening.

Update from John Merricks II , skipper Luke McCarthy:

“It’s been another eventful day. We have spent most of our time hard on the breeze, as the wind seems to be going ahead of us each time we turn a corner! Having said that, we are currently on starboard tack, and in a nice right shift which is currently allowing us to point straight at the Fastnet Rock some 90 miles away.

“As is to be expected in a race of this length, especially with as much upwind work as we have had, we have had a few minor issues with the boat. We have had a small hydraulics leak which has meant that the front of the boat on the inside has now been renamed the ‘Icerink’ as it is very slippery!

“Hydraulic fluid has a tendency to spread itself around and, in sorting this issue and cleaning up afterwards, there are now some quite slippery patches elsewhere, which require the crew to be careful in moving around the boat.

“Credit must go to Phil Miller, ably supported by Chris Noble amongst others, who has done an amazing job keeping the boat able to sail as fast as possible.

“Morale on the boat remains high, and the young sailors are still sailing the boat hard, whether this is helming and trimming in a straight line or getting involved with the numerous sail changes required as the wind increases and decreases.

“There’s quite a lot of water around us, and a few boats, although not as many as you might expect to see in a 300-boat fleet

“Everyone is looking forward to rounding the Fastnet Rock later today, both for the achievement itself (I am the only person on board who has done so before during a Fastnet race) but also as this signals a turn for home and, hopefully, some faster and more comfortable sailing with the spinnaker.

“We’re hopeful of reaching the Fastnet Rock sometime before dark – personally I’ve never seen it in the daylight and I’m not sure any of the others have either – so hopefully we’ll get there around, 8, 9, 10pm tonight when there’s still enough daylight

The crew of John Merricks II are hoping to reach the Rolex Fastnet Race finish line in Plymouth on Wednesday night.

More photos on the following pages...