With 444 yachts on the entry list, the stage is set for the historic 100th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race, beginning today (Saturday 26 July) off the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes. The centenary race promises intense competition, shifting strategies, and light-to-moderate conditions as the fleet prepares for the upwind leg to Fastnet Rock and a potentially faster run back toward Cherbourg.
The fleet will launch in staggered starts beginning at 1120, led by the multihulls—including four Ultim trimarans and nine Ocean Fiftys—followed at 10-minute intervals by IMOCAs, Class 40s, Admiral’s Cup teams (AC1 and AC2), and IRC classes down to IRC 4. The historic scale of this race is reflected not only in the size of the fleet but also in the global reach and calibre of sailors competing.
The forecast is shaping up for an upwind slog to Fastnet Rock in moderate breeze, veering northwest toward Land’s End. Conditions favour boats with strong VMG (velocity made good) capabilities upwind and downwind, making it a close contest for both monohull and multihull line honours. Boats known for strong VMG performance include the TP52s like Beau Geste, the Jolt series, and Caro, the 2023 Fastnet winner.
We’re pleased to share this weather update courtesy of our friend Crosbie Lorimer from Bow Caddy Media, who kindly allowed us to repost his content. You can explore more of his work on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@crosbielorimer3918.
Among the headline contenders is Thomas Coville’s Sodebo Ultim 3, fresh from a Jules Verne Trophy campaign. Coville is hoping for just enough wind to foil around the Rock and warns that the light-air specialist SVR Lazartigue could be a threat. For Coville, this year’s race is extra special—his son Eliott will also be racing, on a JPK 1050, marking the first time father and son share the Fastnet experience.
Three 100-foot monohulls are tipped to battle for line honours: SHK Scallywag, Black Jack 100, and a newly lightened Leopard 3. Scallywag skipper David Witt predicts a closely fought race: “It’s VMG to the rock and VMG back. Black Jack’s better downhill, we’re better uphill.” With top talent like Will Oxley and Rob Greenhalgh aboard, Witt eyes a potential Hong Kong sweep—with Scallywag for line honours and Karl Kwok’s Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club team holding a strong lead in the Admiral’s Cup standings.
Veteran French skipper Géry Trentesaux, winner in 2015, is competing in his 18th Fastnet aboard Long Courrier, targeting IRC One. Meanwhile, Australian entries include Linda Goddard’s Swan 53 Bedouin, crewed by her family and serving up fresh lasagna, and David Griffith’s JV60 Whisper, featuring pros like Billy Merrington and Paul Westlake.
As the centenary edition of the world’s most iconic offshore race prepares to get underway, the mood in Cowes is a mix of excitement, reverence, and determination. From legendary skippers to fresh-faced crews, the Rolex Fastnet Race 2025 is shaping up to be a classic.
