26 teams are still racing in IRC Four with nine retirements. By 09:00 BST on day four of the Rolex Fastnet Race the vast majority of the boats racing in IRC Four had passed the Isles of Scilly and were into the Celtic Sea. The next land they will see is the loom of the Fastnet Lighthouse, marking the most northerly point of the Rolex Fastnet Race. As juxtaposed to the hairy conditions at the start, light winds have been a feature of the latter part of the race to the Fastnet Rock, with boats only registering two or three knots of boat speed.
Race fans will have noticed a very strange route by yesterday’s class leader François Charles’ Dehler 33 Sun Hill III (FRA). The RORC Race Team have reported that Sun Hill III’s tracker has malfunctioned. The RORC Race Team are in constant contact with the boat via email and there is no need for alarm. Sun Hill III data aside, IRC Four has a new provisional leader with Marc Willame’s JPK 960 Elma (FRA), racing doublehanded with Antoine Jeu. Chris and Vanessa Choules’ Sigma 38 With Alacrity is ranked in second place, but the light airs are more suited to the lightweight French boats with just two crew on board. Another JPK 960 racing doublehanded is ranked in third place: Samuel Dumenil & Antoine Runet racing Casamyas (FRA).
Casamyas, Samuel Dumenil and Antoine Runet's JPK 960 is in third place © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com
IRC Four | SailRaceHQ Sector Analysis: 100nm from Fastnet
Using the new time sector analysis provided by www.SailRaceHQ.com accurate analysis of the IRC standings in different sectors of the race is now available.
Assuming Sun Hill III’s data is invalid, JPK 960 Elma posted the fasted corrected time through the 100-mile Fastnet Sector. Ed Clay’s Contessa 38 Flycatcher of Yar (GBR) was second and looked to have sailed a great line to the north of the fleet. Jan Toussein’s Swan 38 Leda (BEL) was third fastest through this sector after IRC time correction.
The light conditions for the IRC Four fleet on this the fourth day of the Rolex Fastnet Race will give the teams the opportunity to dry themselves and their equipment out, and perhaps catch more than just a few minutes sleep. However, with the adrenalin kicking out, tiredness kicks in. Keeping their boats going in the light can result in huge gains, for the three hundred or so miles left to race in the Rolex Fastnet Race.
Elma, Marc Willame's JPK 960 has posted the fasted corrected time through the 100nm Fastnet Sector © Rick Tomlinson/www.rick-tomlinson.com
By Louay Habib
