The Fastnet Race 2025 – a special 100th anniversary – sets off Saturday 26 July 2025 with a record sized fleet. Here’s everything you need to know to follow the race onshore and online
The Fastnet Race in 2025 will be the a special 100th anniversary of the event and is set to be the largest offshore yacht race in the world, with over 474 entries. The Rolex Fastnet Race is one of the most famous ocean yacht races in the world, and completing it widely regarded as one of sailing’s crowning achievements.
Begun as a challenge between a handful of competing yachts in 1925, the Fastnet Race is run every two years by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC). The 605 nautical mile course traditionally ran from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, west to the Fastnet Rock lighthouse off the south-west corner of Ireland before returning to finish off Plymouth.
The race is well know as a challenge just to complete and the 1979 Fastnet Race disaster remains at the forefront of the minds of many of those who compete.
The Fastnet disaster led to huge improvements in yacht and safety gear design, and the race now has stringent entry requirements. However, the actual race course remained largely unchanged until 2021 when the finish line moved to Cherbourg, France instead of Plymouth in 2021 and 2023. This new course added a further 90 miles to the race – much of it a tricky tidal section – making it an even bigger challenge
When is the Fastnet Race 2025?
The 100th anniversary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race starts on Saturday 26 July 2025 with the first start at 1120 BST.
For those wishing to follow the action from the start, there will be a livestream shown on the various RORC channels.
The show will feature expert commentary from a a plethora or sailing, navigation, and weather professionals, along with on-the-water commentators giving their view from live on the water.
Live coverage of the start begins at 1100 with the first class start following 20 minutes later.
The first start will be for the multihull fleet (including the 3 giant Ultimes) and is followed by the IMOCA 60s starting just 10 minutes later, and so on in decreasing yacht size until the IRC 4 class start at 1320 BST.
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Watch the Rolex Fastnet Race start
Race website: https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/en
RORC YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/rorcracing
RORC Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoyalOceanRacingClub
Where to watch the Fastnet Race 2025
The best vantage points of the start will be along Cowes Green and Egypt Esplanade. As the fleet funnels west out of the Solent there will be lots of chances to see the yachts from Yarmouth as well. From the mainland you can view the yachts on their outbound leg; the best places to watch are from Hurst Castle, Anvil Point, St Alban’s Head and Portland Bill.
Track the Rolex Fastnet Race Fleet
All yachts competing in the Fastnet Race are fitted with a YB Tracker so you can follow an individual boat, a class or the whole fleet. The race tracker is linked to via the official race site https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com or direct at https://cf.yb.tl/fastnet2023
The tracker lets you watch the full fleet, separate classes or follow individual yachts.
Yachting World will also bring you all the latest news and views in the build up to the race and will be reporting throughout at our dedicated Fastnet Race homepage. We will also have several of the team on the ground and will be reporting both online and via video on our Yachting World Youtube channel and on Facebook and Instagram.
A list of competitors can be found at the RORC website.
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The post How to follow the 100th anniversary Rolex Fastnet Race 2025 appeared first on Yachting World.
