Russian Dmitry Rybolovlev’s brand new ClubSwan 125 Skorpios became the first monohull to round the Fastnet Rock on Monday evening.
Almost 10 hours after the lead Ultime trimaran, Skorpios rounded just astern of the final Ultime trimaran, the Jacek Siwek-skippered elongated ORMA 60, Ultim’emotion 2.
Skorpios’ time was 30 hours 38 minutes 43 seconds, nearly four hours outside the record set in 2019 by George David’s Rambler 88.
Although racing outside of the IRC fleet, Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat on the 60ft IMOCA Apivia have done a phenomenal job leading the IMOCA fleet since they charged out of the blustery Solent 24 hours ago.
Approaching the Fastnet Rock, the talented Frenchmen, both past class winners in this event, were leading the IMOCA class, 35 miles ahead of second placed Charal, the defending IMOCA champion, sailed by Jérémie Beyou and Christopher Pratt.
Robert Gwozdz’s Sailing Poland was leading the other VO65 round the world boats on the charge north across the Celtic Sea. While the Polish National Foundation’s VO70 I Love Poland was further up the course leading IRC Zero under IRC, her crew including British Figaro sailor Alan Roberts and Volvo Ocean Race sailor Martin Strömberg.
In the Class40s, there was disaster this afternoon when one of the favourites, Axel Trehin’s Project Rescue Ocean dismasted on the approach to Land’s End. No one was hurt and she has successfully put in to Penzance to effect repairs.
This has left Luke Berry’s 2019 winner, Lamotte-Module Création leading the class from Tales 2, the sole Botin-designed Class40, now campaigned by Italian Andrea Fornaro, albeit with Antoine Carpentier’s Courrier Redman on the ascent.
In IRC Three, Alexis Loison and Guillaume Pirouelle’s JPK 1030 Léon is back in front of the Sun Fast 3600 Fujitsu British Soldier, the front runners in the class just past the Lizard late this afternoon.
In IRC Four, David le Goff’s JPK 10.10 Raphael was leading on the water, approaching the Lizard, but Francois Charles’ Dehler 33 Cruising Sun Hill 3 and Alain Guelennoc’s X-332 Trading-advices.com were still the strongest contenders on IRC corrected time.