A guide for entrants - Complete Version

The Rolex Fastnet Race is the culmination of many months of preparation and planning. Paul Wyeth/RORC
The Rolex Fastnet Race is the culmination of many months of preparation and planning. Paul Wyeth/RORC

The Rolex Fastnet Race is the culmination of many months of preparation and planning; starting from the day the entry opens online, through qualifying and on to the day of the race itself. This guide goes over the main points you need to consider before entering - crew qualification, boat suitability and the process of entry itself.

2025 Important Dates and Entry Information

Registration Open - Wednesday 15th  Jan

1000 hrs UTC  From this date you can log into your SailRaceHQ account and add your boat to the Registration List for the Rolex Fastnet Race 2025.

After Friday 31st Jan, all registered boats will be sorted and places offered on a first come, first served basis, with RORC members receiving priority over non-members. Boats registering after this date will allocate places on a first come, first served basis regardless of membership.

50% entry fee - Within 10 days of entry

Once you have been allocated a place in the race, the RORC Race Team will inform you and officially enter the boat. From that date of entry, 50% of the entry fee must be paid within 10 days. This part of the entry fee is non-refundable.

Proposal : As soon as possible after entry. You must enter your proposal on www.sailracehq.com detailing your plan to meet the crew mileage qualification requirement.

Closing Date - Friday 27th June

Make sure you have paid the full Race Entry Fee by the Closing Date so as not to incur the Late Payment Charge. By this date complete your OSR Checklist Category 2.

Rating Deadline - Friday 4th  July

Your yacht must hold a valid rating/class certificate by this deadline. After this date any changes are in exceptional circumstances only and at the discretion of the RORC.

 Monday 21st to Friday 25th  July 

At the RORC Office, Cowes, Isle of Wight. Sailing Instructions are available only after completing registration.

Skippers Briefing - Fri 25th  July, 16:00 BST       

RORC Cowes Clubhouse & broadcast through RORC Social Media Channels.

Start - Sat 26th  July   

Start times and starting groups will be detailed in the Sailing Instructions.


DOWNLOAD OUR GUIDE FOR ENTRANTS


Help and Support

We understand that going through the entry procedures and meeting all requirements can seem a daunting task. However, undertaking a challenge such as the Rolex Fastnet Race requires a great deal of preparation - which takes some time and effort. With this in mind be sure to regularly check the 'Overview' screen in your SailRaceHQ account and try to work through all the items in good time. The earlier you invite your crew, the earlier you can see who has and who hasn't got Offshore Survival Training or First Aid. The earlier you submit your World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations Checklist, the earlier you will receive feedback and advice should it be required. The earlier you think about your qualification, the more opportunity there is to meet the requirements - should you not manage to compete in one of your qualification races, for example.

We are here to help you

We are always just on the other end of the phone or an email away if you have any questions. You can discuss with us the possibility of scheduling an inspection of your boat, you could talk through any queries on requirements regarding particulars of your boat, qualification plans or if you need help choosing the right training courses or boat equipment.

Call the Race Team on +44 (0)1983 295144 | Email the Race Team on  racing@rorc.org