SAILING:The rush to enter the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race has surpassed expectations this week as the entry limit of 300 boats was reached in less than 24 hours. Upwards of 3,000 competitors will race to the famous lighthouse off the west Cork coastline, beginning from Cowes on August 11th.
The entry appears to defy economic pressures and the experience of other major sailing events that have suffered sharp declines in interest is not evident.
Nevertheless, while plenty of the larger exotic boats like Ian Walker’s Volvo 70 Abu Dhabi is back to defend his 2011 victory against the likes of Mike Slade’s supermaxi Leopard, other high profile boats are absent.
Chief amongst these absentees are various multihulls that led the fleet back to the finishing-line at Plymouth two years ago: none has entered so far in 2013.
However, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) points out that these are treated as special cases by the race committee and will be provided with their own start and in addition to the 300-boat main fleet.
Still, behind the allure of the big boats and the professional crews, the backbone of the fleet comprises the heart of the sport with amateur and club-level crews on boats of around 40 feet or smaller.
Typical boats include the stalwart Sigma 38-footers but smaller boats as well, ranging in size and type from J105’s and A35’s up to bigger boats such as the new First 40 and X-Yachts 41 plus a huge turnout of 20 Beneteau 40.7’s.
Traditionally, RORC estimated an average of 10 crew per boat and while a significant number of two-handed entries are also expected, average crew sizes are still expected to be around nine per boat for the 605-mile race to Ireland and back.
Expected at Fastnet
Less than two days after the start, the lead boats will be expected at the Fastnet and the rounding will mark the first race anniversary of the Rambler 100 incident that so narrowly averted tragedy in 2011.
Yet the capsize of the 100-foot super maxi after it’s keel snapped off is in part being regarded as an isolated incident as well as a salutary lesson.
“There have been various changes in the Offshore Special Regulations and apart from going through our pre-race safety routines, we’re working to make sure that people are trained and aren’t novices out there,” RORC Racing Manager Nick Elliott told The Irish Times.
“I think it’s a very isolated incident and we were obviously quite lucky that it turned out so well.
“We got some great feedback from the Rambler incident – they all had their lifejacket and harnesses on, had all the training and (experience) from the Transatlantic and more.
Improvements in fleet tracking as well as mandatory AIS (Automatic Identification System) and more accurate weather forecasting have significantly improved safety in the race that claimed 15 lives in 1979.
All in all, between the Fastnet Race and the Irish Sailing Association’s cruise for The Gathering three week’s earlier and targeting 100 boats, the South coast is likely to be a busy region.
