The line honours leaders in the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race have rounded the Fastnet Rock – and are now flying south to Cherbourg at over 30 knots
The leaders in the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race have rounded the Fastnet Rock after 1 day and 4 hours of racing.
After a relatively slow first 24 hours, which saw even the foiling Ultimes crawling along at 8-10 knots for periods this morning, the first two boats have rounded the Fastnet Rock and are now reaping the rewards with a fast flight home on flat seas with a following wind.
First to round was the 2023 race winner, the Ultime SVR-Lazartigue, skippered by Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas, who has not been challenged for the lead since yesterday’s race start.
SVR-Lazartigue rounded the Rock at 1622 (BST) today, immediately bearing away to hit speeds of over 35 knots.
Second was Armel Le Cléac’h on the Ultime Banque Populaire XI, who rounded 1hr and 8 minutes later.
This duo are now powering south-east in a 25-knot north-westerly, setting up for a fast and furious final 315 miles in the race for line honours. The leader is expected to finish in Cherbourg around 0800 BST tomorrow morning.
The leader in the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race, the Ultime SVR Lazartigue, rounds the Fastnet Rock. Photo: Kurt Arrigo/Rolex
Monohull leaders
In the race for monohull line honours the two 100-footers SHK-Scallywag and BlackJack are matching each other tack for tack, while in the building breeze Leopard has also made gains on the pair in 3rd.
In the IMOCA class the newest boat in the fleet, Élodie Bonafous’s Association Petit Princes has a narrow lead from Jérémie Beyou’s well-campaigned Charal.
Largely benign conditions for the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race so far – here the Botin 52 Caro enjoys the company of dolphins in the Celtic Sea. Photo: Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex
Fastnet 2025 retirements
Unfortunately, Pip Hare, Scott Shawyer and team on Be Water Positive – Canada Ocean Racing retired from the race this morning after suffering a hydraulics issue.
LIke other modern IMOCAs, Be Water Positive – Canada Ocean Racing (ex-11th Hour Racing) has a comprehensive hydraulics package that includes key sail fittings which are required to stabilise the mast.
“We’re retiring due to a technical issue with one of our main hydraulic control systems,” said the team in a statement. “We’re gutted — this is such an iconic race and it’s so disappointing not to finish it.
“But we’ve got six weeks of racing ahead of us in The Ocean Race Europe, and it’s critical that we stay focused on a repair in time for that series of races starting in just two weeks’ time.”
The crew are all safe and the boat has arrived at Cherbourg.
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