Results as of 0000 GMT on Thursday
(Cowes/ Plymouth, England- August 9th-12th)- What a cracking start to the 2009 Rolex Fastnet Race, in excess of 300 boats got away cleanly in a fair easterly breeze of about ten knots. It was a spectacular sight, the Solent festooned with spinnakers at the start of the epic journey to the Fastnet rock. Every colour of the rainbow set in sail by a diverse fleet ranging from the powerful professional super yachts to family cruisers. For sailors, the Rolex Fastnet Race is iconic, a tough challenge, just completing the race is something to be rightly proud of. However, the weather turned pretty cold and nasty by Monday afternoon, especially after the sunshine start in the Solent. The seas kicked up and the fine rain is soaked the sailors watch after watch. By Tuesday, for the larger and smaller boats going past the Irish Coast to "the Rock" (pic above), it was a frustrating approach with the wind dying as competitors got near to the famous lighthouse. Nevertheless, as the front continued to move, competitors expect building breezes to push the fleet home. So far, here are preliminary positions of various J's ranging from about 100 to 200 miles away from the Plymouth finish line.In IRC Class Z, the J/133 JIVARO sailed by Neil Martin is projected as 5th in class and just ahead of him is another J/133, JAMMY DODGER in 4th sailed by Yves Grosjean.
The J/122s are racing in IRC Class 1 and European/French favorite PEN AZEN raced by avid campaigner Philipe Delaporte is projected to be in 9th and the J/122 NUTMEG IV sailed by Francois Lognone looks to be lying in 6th position.
Surprisingly strong performances all year long have been put in by the team on board David Walters' J/39 JACKDAW. In IRC Class 2 they've taken advantage of the shifting, light air conditions to maintain a second place pace!
The Doublehanded Class has Simon Curwen's J/105 VOADOR as top J in fifth followed at the moment by Gareth Thomas's J/120 JALFREZI in sixth and Richard Palmer's J/109 JANGADA TOO in seventh.
For more info and real-time updates/ tracking. Photo Credits- Thierry Martinez
