Winners and crews celebrate their Rolex Fastnet Race Challenge

Caro, Overall winners of the Fastnet Challenge Cup in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com
Caro, Overall winners of the Fastnet Challenge Cup in the 2023 Rolex Fastnet Race © Paul Wyeth/www.pwpictures.com

Winners and competitors taking part in the 50th edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race were celebrated on the stage at the prizegiving on the final evening in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. With the majority of boats having completed the 695-mile race from Cowes, RORC CEO Jeremy Wilton, Race Director Steve Cole and Rear Commodore Deb Fish congratulated all who took part and welcomed spectators, visitors, family and friends who had gathered in the Race Village on the Plage Verte at the Marina Chantereyne to watch the awards unfold. Opening the finale with a spectacular highlights video, it was then time to present all class winners with their trophies, along with a host of special prizes, before the overall winner of the Fastnet Challenge Cup was congratulated.

Welcomed on the stage to present individual awards were Jean-Louis Valentin, President of the Association Arrivée Fastnet Cherbourg; Mr Benoît Arrivé, Maire de Cherbourg-en-Cotentin; Manuela Mahier, representing the Communauté d’Agglomeration du Cotentin; Isabelle Fontaine, representing the Département de la Manche, and Augustin Bœuf, representing the Region Normandie.

MUSTO Media Awards

During the race, competitors were invited to send in blogs, photos and videos to the Media Team to keep race fans up-to-date. MUSTO Media Awards were given to: 

1st (winning a £500 MUSTO voucher) - Philip Schröderheim of the IRC One yacht, Dehler 45, Solong, whose video had ½ million views on RORC social media. 

2nd (winning a £350 Musto voucher) - Helena Darvelid on Allegra, the Irens catamaran racing in MOCRA multihull class, for her epic footage onboard in rough seas and capturing the MOD70 Zoulou launching off huge waves.

3rd (winning a £200 Musto voucher) - Zeb Fellows on the Sun Fast 3300 Orbit racing in IRC Two for his fun onboard footage. At just 16 years old, maybe one day in the future he'll be an onboard reporter.

The Challenge Cup on display at the Rolex Fastnet Race prize-giving in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin © Arthur Daniel/RORCThe Fastnet Challenge Cup on display at the Rolex Fastnet Race prize-giving in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin © Arthur Daniel/RORC

Prize Winners

Croda Wave Trophy for 1st in MOCRA Multihull class – Allegra - Custom Irens catamaran sailed by Adrian Keller

Mocra crystal trophy for Best MOCRA under 50 feet - Morpheus – Shuttleworth 39 sailed by Andy Fennell

RORC Bowl for Best Swan in the Cowes Dinard St Malo and Rolex Fastnet Race combined -  Eve – Swan 65 sailed by Steven Capell and Fraser Welch, skippered by Benjamin Roulant

Clipper 68 Class

3rd - CV2 Ambitious

2nd - CV8 Tenacious

1st - CV3 Adventurous

IRC Four

3rd - With Alacrity - Sigma 38 sailed by Chris and Vanessa Choules

2nd Elma – JPK 960 sailed by Marc Willame

1st  Sun Hill III winning the Iolaire Trophy – Dehler 33 CR sailed by François Charles

IRC Three

3rd ADEOSYS – JPK 1010 sailed by Ludovic Menahes

2nd Tracass – JPK 1010 sailed by Loeiz Cadiou

1st Locmalo - A 35 sailed by Gautier Normand

1st IRC Three and IRC Three B winning the Favona Cup and 1st IRC Two-Handed winning the Brunskill Trophy - Les P'tits Doudous en Duo – JPK 1010 sailed by Romain Gibon

IRC Two

3rd IRC Two - Karavel – JPK 1010 sailed by Frederic Nouel

2nd IRC Two - Axe Sail - J/99 sailed by Maxime Mesnil

1st IRC Two A - Black Sheep - Sun Fast 3600 sailed by Trevor Middleton

1st IRC Two B and IRC Two winning the Foxhound Cup - Juzzy – JPK 1030 sailed by Thomas Bonnier

IRC One

3rd IRC One - Dawn Treader – JPK 1180 sailed by Ed Bell

2nd IRC One - Sunrise III – JPK 1180 sailed by Thomas Kneen

1st IRC One A - Ginkgo – Humphreys 39 sailed by Dirk Clasen

IRC One B and 1st IRC One winning the West Mersea Yacht Club Trophy and Fastnet Rock Trophy - Pintia – J/133 sailed by Gilles Fournier/ Corinne Migraine

IRC Super Zero

3rd IRC Super Zero Erivale Trophy and Irish Lights Trophy for 1st IRC yacht on the water - Lucky - 27m canting keel sailed by Bryon Ehrhart

2nd IRC Super Zero - Wind Whisper – VO 65 sailed by Pablo Arrarte

1st IRC Super Zero winning the Gesture Trophy and the Kees Van Dam Memorial Trophy for 2nd BCT Overall - Team Jajo – VO 65 sailed by Clarke Murphy

IRC Zero

3rd IRC Zero - Albator - NMD 43 sailed by Philippe France

2nd IRC Zero - Warrior Won - PAC 52 sailed by Chris Sheehan

Winning the Alf Loomis Trophy for navigator of the yacht winning the Fastnet Challenge Cup - Andy Green (Caro)

Winning the Joe Powder Trophy for Best IRC yacht round the Fastnet Rock on corrected time
Erroll Bruce Cup - 1st yacht home IRC Zero
Hong Kong Cup – BCT IRC Zero 
Arambalza Cup - Best Non-British yacht overall and Fastnet Challenge Cup for Overall winner - Caro – Botin 52 sailed by Max Klink

Special prizes

Coates Scholfield Trophy for the yacht whose crew have sailed the furthest to compete in the race: Paddy Broughton’s classic boat sailed 14,136nm to take part - Kialoa II - S&S 73’ yawl sailed by Paddy Broughton

Clarion Cup for First British Yacht Home - Ino Noir - Carkeek 45 sailed by James Neville

Dorade Cup for BCT IRC Classic Yacht - Stormvogel – ketch sailed by Ermanno Traverso

Joggernaut Trophy for BCT Irish Yacht - Nieulargo - Grand Soleil 40 sailed by Denis Murphy

Berrimilla Dogbowl for Bct Two-Handed Yacht In Irc Four - Elma – JPK 960 sailed by Marc Willame

Royal Thames Spirit Cup for the Best Yacht owned or skippered by a Royal Thames member, and the Swinburne Trophy for First Yacht Home owned/skippered by an Irish national - Darkwood – J/121 sailed by Michael O’Donnell

Roger Justice Trophy for Best Sailing School - Stortebeker – Carkeek 47 sailed by Max Gartner

Hobo Bowl for IRC One Design - Woozle Hunter - Sigma 33 sailed by Alex Thomas

Whirlwind trophy for Best Swan on corrected time - Balthasar - Swan 50OD sailed by Louis Balcaen

Inter-Regimental Cup for Best Service Yacht and the Culdrose Trophy - Fujitsu British Soldier – Sun Fast 3600 sailed by Maj Foster of the Army Sailing Association

Sparkman & Stephens Trophy for best Sparkman & Stephens Design - Flycatcher of Yar - Contessa 38 sailed by Henry and Edward Clay

Bloodhound Cup for Best Corporate Yacht – Sun Hill III - Dehler 33 sailed by Francois Charles

Duncan Munro Kerr Trophy for Skipper aged between 18-30 - Mark Spearman sailing Dawn Treader

Maite de Arambalza Trophy for Best Female Skipper – Christina Wolfe sailing Red Ruby

Martin Illingworth Trophy for Teams of three yachts nominated by an Affiliated Club – Lucky, Ino Noir, Sunrise III

Iolaire Block for the oldest boat to complete the course – Maluka sailed by Sean Langman

Dennis Doyle Memorial Salver for the skipper who has done the greatest number of Fastnet Races - Peter Hopps, sailing Sigma 38 Sam

See the photos from the prize-giving here