Editing Fastnet Race (section)

==History==
[[Weston Martyr]], a British yachtsman, conceived the idea of the race after having competed in [[Bermuda|Bermudian]] yacht races. Entered by seven vessels, the inaugural Fastnet Race was won by ''[[Jolie Brise]]'' in 1925. The race ran annually until 1931, and subsequently biennially apart from a break after 1939 during World War II, resuming in 1947.

===1979 Fastnet Race===
{{main|1979 Fastnet race}}
A severe [[European windstorm]] during the [[1979 Fastnet race|1979 race]] resulted in the deaths of 21 people (15 competing yachtsmen and 6 observers)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.southernstar.ie/news/cape-memorial-service-recalls-fastnet-tragedy-4093766 |title=Cape memorial service recalls Fastnet tragedy |work=Southern Star |date=3 September 2015 |access-date=6 February 2025}}</ref> and the involvement of some 4,000 others in what became the largest-ever rescue operation in peacetime. The disaster led to a major overhaul of the rules and the equipment required for the competition.<ref name = "fastnet_inquiry">{{cite web| title = 1979 Fastnet Race Inquiry| url = http://www.blur.se/images/fastnet-race-inquiry.pdf | publisher = [[Royal Yachting Association]], [[Royal Ocean Racing Club]] | first1 = Sir Hugh | last1 = Forbes | first2 = Sir Maurice | last2 = Laing | first3 = Lt. Col. James | last3 = Myatt | year = 1979 | access-date = 23 November 2013}}</ref><ref name="lessons"/> Several books have since been written about the 1979 race, which remains notorious in the yachting world for its loss of life.<ref name="fastnet_inquiry"/><ref>{{cite book|last1=Rousmaniere |first1=John |author-link1=John Rousmaniere |year=1980 |title=Fastnet, Force 10: The Deadliest Storm in the History of Modern Sailing |type=Paperback |page=304 |publisher=[[W. W. Norton & Company]] (17 April 2000) |isbn=978-0-393-30865-5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.yachtingworld.com/yw/fastnet/ |title=Fastnet 79: The Disaster that Changed Sailing (Eye witness accounts) |newspaper=[[Yachting World]] |access-date=24 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223095135/http://www.yachtingworld.com/yw/fastnet |archive-date=23 December 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In the 1979 race, "15 sailors died, five boats sank, and at least 75 boats flipped upside down".<ref name="lessons">{{cite web |url=http://www.sailnet.com/forums/racing-articles/20646-revisiting-lessons-fastnet.html |first1=John |last1=Rousmaniere |date=January 2000 |title=Revisiting Lessons from the Fastnet |publisher=SailNet.com |access-date=25 November 2013}}</ref>

===Capsize of ''Drum'' (1985)===
The race drew further attention from outside the sport in 1985 when the [[maxi yacht]] ''[[Drum (yacht)|Drum]]'' [[capsize]]d after the [[keel]] sheared off due to a design error.  The boat was helmed by the New Zealander Phil Holland, brother of its designer [[Ron Holland]].  Pop star [[Simon Le Bon]] from [[Duran Duran]], co-owner and crew member of ''Drum'', was trapped under the [[hull (watercraft)|hull]] with five other crew members for twenty minutes, until being rescued by the [[Royal Navy]]. The Search and Rescue Diver was Petty Officer Air Crewman (POACMN) Larry "Scouse" Slater of [[771 Naval Air Squadron]] who appeared on ''[[This Is Your Life (UK TV series)|This Is Your Life]]'' on 9 April 1986.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.arnoldclarkdrum.com/about-us/ |title=The History of Arnold Clark Drum |publisher=Arnold Clark |access-date=7 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211104133/http://www.arnoldclarkdrum.com/about-us/ |archive-date=11 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===1999 Fastnet Race===
Many of the fleet contestants experienced a total [[Solar_eclipse_of_August_11,_1999|solar eclipse]] in the Celtic Sea on the way to the Fastnet Rock.<ref>{{cite news
 |url         = https://www.theguardian.com/science/1999/jun/07/eclipse.uknews
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20151017090419/https://www.theguardian.com/science/1999/jun/07/eclipse.uknews
 |archive-date = 17 October 2015
 |date        = 7 June 1999
 |publisher   = Guardian
 |title       = Boats warned of freak winds during eclipse
 |url-status     = live
}}</ref>

===2007 Fastnet Race===
The RORC in 2007 set an entry limit of 300 boats for the first time. The start of the 2007 Race was postponed by 25 hours, due to a severe weather warning. This was the first time this had been done in the race's 83-year history. Overnight [[gale force]] winds and resulting extreme seas forced over three-quarters of the boats to retire, sheltering in ports along the south coast of England, including [[Torbay]], [[Plymouth]] and [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]].

By 10:00hrs on 16 August, 207 boats of the 271-strong field had retired with at least three suffering rig problems.<ref name="bbc20070814">{{cite news
 |url         = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6942302.stm
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20090820034309/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6942302.stm
 |archive-date = 20 August 2009
 |date        = 14 August 2007
 |publisher   = BBC
 |title       = Severe weather hits Fastnet crews
 |url-status     = dead
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name="rorc2007">{{cite web
 | url = https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200818063411/https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/en/
 | archive-date = 18 August 2020
 | title = Rolex Fastnet Race fleet facing gale-force winds
 | publisher=[[Royal Ocean Racing Club]]
}}</ref>

Despite the conditions, Mike Slade's ''Icap Leopard 3'', launched in June 2007, set a new record of 44 hours 18 min, taking almost 9 hours off the previous record set in 1999.  Ger O'Rourke's ''Chieftain'' was the overall winner on corrected time.

===2011 Fastnet Race===
A record number of 320 boats entered the 2011 race – the largest total since the ill-fated 1979 race (303 entries). A total of nineteen nations were represented, with the bulk of entries still from Britain and France.

In 2011, the 100-foot maxi yacht ''[[Rambler 100]]''<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-14538321 |title=Crew rescued from Fastnet Race yacht Rambler 100 |date=15 August 2011 |publisher=BBC   |access-date=16 August 2011}}</ref> [[turtling (sailing)|turtled]] after her keel broke off between [[Fastnet Rock]] and the [[Pantaenius Buoy]] (a temporary race mark placed southwest of the Fastnet Rock<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cil.ie/safety-navigation/notices-to-mariners/2013-07-pantaenius-buoy.aspx |title=2011-11-Rolex Fastnet Race-Pantaenius Buoy |website=www.cil.ie |date=27 May 2011 |access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref>). All 21 crew were rescued safely. Sixteen were rescued from the upturned hull, by the RNLI [[Baltimore Lifeboat Station|Baltimore Lifeboat]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global/2011/aug/16/fastnet-race-yacht-capsize-rescue |title=Fastnet race yacht capsizes off Ireland |work=The Guardian|access-date=13 May 2013|location=London|first=Ben|last=Quinn|date=16 August 2011}}</ref> ''Hilda Jarrett''.  A further 5 crewmembers, including the owner/skipper [[George David]], had floated away from the vessel, but managed to link themselves together.  They were in the water for approximately 2.5 hours, before being rescued by a [[Baltimore, Ireland|Baltimore]] based diving vessel, ''Wave Chieftain''.  One of these crewmembers, Wendy Touton, suffered [[hypothermia]] and was taken by helicopter to [[Tralee]] General Hospital.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/press_centre/news_releases/news_release_detail?articleid=714916
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20120403034633/http://www.rnli.org.uk/who_we_are/press_centre/news_releases/news_release_detail?articleid=714916
 |archive-date = 3 April 2012
 |title       = Baltimore RNLI in major rescue operation off the Cork coast after Fastnet yacht capsizes
 |author      = Niamh Stephenson
 |date        = 15 August 2011
 |publisher   = RNLI
 |access-date  = 16 August 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> Four crew-members had been below decks at the time of capsize and were not adequately dressed for egress into the sea. All uninjured crew were taken to Baltimore.<ref>{{cite web
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110807023318/http://www.sailinganarchy.com/index_page1.php
 |archive-date = 7 August 2011
 |url         = http://www.sailinganarchy.com/index_page1.php
 |title       = Rambler capsized
 |date        = 15 August 2011
 |publisher   = Sailing Anarchy
 |access-date  = 16 August 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref> The [[Naval Service (Ireland)|Naval Service]] patrol ship ''[[LÉ Aoife (P22)|LÉ Aoife]]'' remained with the hull, worth $10,000,000 before the capsize, before it was towed to [[Barleycove]] by the [[Castletownbere]]-based tug ''Ocean Bank''.<ref name="irishtimes20110817">{{cite news
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110822212841/http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0817/breaking11.html
 |archive-date = 22 August 2011
 |url         = http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0817/breaking11.html
 |title       = Inquiry into sinking under way
 |date        = 17 August 2011
 |author      = Lorna Siggins
 |newspaper        = The Irish Times
 |access-date  = 6 October 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |df          = dmy-all
}}</ref><ref name="rousmaniere4">{{cite news |url=http://www.sailmagazine.com/cruising-news/sailing-accidents-lessons-learned |title=Sailing Accidents: Lessons Learned |first1=John |last1=Rousmaniere |date=13 September 2012 |access-date=27 November 2013 |newspaper=[[Sail (magazine)|Sail]]}}</ref>

The Fastnet Monohull Race record was set at 42hrs 39min by Volvo Open 70 "Abu Dhabi", skippered by Ian Walker.

===2013 Fastnet Race===
Plymouth Yacht Haven was selected as host port RORC Increased the number of entries to meet demands. With the entry limit of 300 filled within 24 hours, over 100 boats on the waiting list and entries from multihulls, IMOCA 60s and Class 40s still coming in, demand for places in 2013's Fastnet Race has been at its highest level thus far.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cruiserracing.ie/blog/2013/02/26/rorc-increase-entries-to-rolex-fastnet-race/|title=RORC Increase Entries to Rolex Fastnet Race|publisher=Cruise Racing|access-date=13 May 2013}}</ref>

Winners (the following results are to be considered provisional):
IRC Overall: Night And Day, a JPK 10.10 owned by Pascal Loison;
MOCRA Multihull: Oman Air - Musandam, a MOD 70 owned by Sidney Gavignet.

===2015 Fastnet Race===
The 340-boat registration limit was reached in 4 minutes and 24 seconds setting a new record.

Winners:<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/results/2015/rfr-irc-overall02.html|title=Sailing Results|website=www.rolexfastnetrace.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/News-2015/|title=News 2015|work=Rolex Fastnet Race Website|access-date=2017-03-01|language=en-GB|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201180018/http://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/News-2015/|archive-date=1 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

IRC Overall: Courrier Du Leon, a JPK 10.10 owned by Géry Trentesaux.

MOCRA Multihull: Spindrift 2 a VPLP owned by Yann Guichard & Dona Bertarelli.

Line Honours: 2 Days 15 Hours 42 Minutes - ''[[Comanche (yacht)|Comanche]]'' - VPLP/Verdier 100 Super Maxi Owned by Jim & Kristy Hinze Clark, Skippered by Ken Read

===2017 Fastnet Race===
[[File:Fastnet weekend 2017 (36287943471).jpg|right|thumb|275px|Yachts racing off [[Cowes]] at the start of the 2017 Fastnet Race.]]
The 2017 Fastnet Race started on 6 August 2017 and featured all 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race Teams. Yachts longer than 100 feet were also allowed to race.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/News-2015/100-foot-limit-relaxed-for-2017-rolex-fastnet-race.html|title=100 foot limit relaxed for 2017 Rolex Fastnet Race {{!}} News 2015|last=RORC|work=Rolex Fastnet Race Website|access-date=2017-03-01|language=en-GB}}</ref>

Winners:<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/competitors/race-documents/results/results-2017|title=Results 2017|work=Rolex Fastnet Race Website|access-date=2019-07-09|language=en-GB}}</ref>

IRC Overall: Lann Ael 2, a JNA 39 owned by Didier Gaudoux.

MOCRA Multihull: Concise 10 a MOD 70 owned by Tony Lawson.

Line Honours: 1 Day 18 hours and 55 minutes – ''Concise 10'' – MOD 70 owned by Tony Lawson, Skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield.

===2019 Fastnet Race===
The 2019 Fastnet Race started on 3 August 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/news/888-rolex-fastnet-race-2019-change-of-date|title=ROLEX Fastnet Race 2019 - Change of Date |website=www.rolexfastnetrace.com |language=en|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> For the first time, boats not following the IRC standard were allowed to enter the competition.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://www.rorc.org/news/news-2019/rolex-fastnet-race-s-most-complete-pantheon-of-offshore-race-boats|title=Royal Ocean Racing Club - Rolex Fastnet Race's most complete pantheon of offshore race boats|website=www.rorc.org|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref> All entries were filled within four minutes and 37 seconds when entry opened on 7 January.<ref name=":0" />

Skipper [[Franck Cammas]] took Multihull [[line honours]], despite running aground within the first few hours. This was the first sub-30 hour run, beating [[Loïck Peyron|Loick Peyron]] and the crew of ''Banque Populaire’s'' 2011 time by 4h 45m. The ''Macif'' of [[François Gabart|Francois Gabbart]] lost the line honours by only 58 seconds, having led just minutes in prior. In third place, was the ''Sodebo Ultim 3'' of [[Thomas Coville]].<ref name="RORC 2011-08-16">{{cite web|date=15 August 2011|title=Fastnet Minisite |url=http://fastnet.rorc.org/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813184420/http://fastnet.rorc.org/|archive-date=13 August 2011|access-date=16 August 2011|publisher=[[Royal Ocean Racing Club|RORC]]|df=dmy}}</ref>

The adjusted time race was won by the Wizard, a [[Volvo Open 70]], owned by David and Peter Askew and sailed by [[Charlie Enright]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/results/2019/rfr-irc-overall02.html|title=Sailing Results|website=www.rolexfastnetrace.com|access-date=2019-11-15}}</ref>

===2021 Fastnet Race===
[[File:Fastnet 2021 KC.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Scenes off Cowes seafront at the start]]

2021 was the first year where the race finish was in [[Cherbourg]]. It started on 8 August 2021 in a strong south westerly breeze.

Winners:<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/en/raceresults |title=Results |website=www.rolexfastnetrace.com}}</ref>

IRC Overall: Sunrise, a JPK 1180 owned by Thomas Kneen and navigated by Tom Cheney & Suzy Peters

MOCRA Multihull: Allegra, a 84&nbsp;ft Nigel Irens designed catamaran sailed by Adrian Keller

IMOCA 60: Apivia sailed by Charlie Dalin & Paul Meilhat