I got up this morning (Sunday, 8/8) at 4:00 a.m., to watch the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race.

Fastnet Rock is the most southerly point of Ireland. The lighthouse on Fastnet Rock is now unmanned and operates automatically. The history is fascinating … any interested may search. A tidbit, though … the first lighthouse was built on the rock in 1853!

Fastnet Rock is a “mark” in several sailing races. But the most well-known race is the Fastnet Race, currently the Rolex Fastnet Race:

Fastnet Rock is used as the midpoint of one of the world’s classic offshore yachting races, the Fastnet Race, a 1,126-kilometre (700 mi) round trip from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, around the rock and back to Plymouth. It is also sometimes used as a mark for yacht races from local sailing centres such as Schull, Baltimore, and Crookhaven.

From Wikipedia

The 2021 race as well as the 2023 race (the race is a bi-annual event) finishes in Cherbourg, France vs Plymouth.

My personal interest in the race stems from following the Vendee Globe which started 11/8/2020. I have become enamored of the IMOCA 60 boats AND the skippers, teams, all things IMOCA! It is an open class, meaning there are rules for certain things, but otherwise there can be customization in the design. So … each boat might have certain features designed to make it go fastest in certain conditions … adhering to the IMOCA open class rules. For me … this is the perfect juxtaposition of similar along with innovative.

Based on my experience watching the 2020 Vendee Globe: around the world, single handed with NO assistance … and the results being spread amongst new/older/foiling/non-foiling boats with various “options” … it is somewhat “luck of the draw” re weather, but also the skipper’s knowledge of their own boat and the skipper’s decisions re weather. My take is that the IMOCA 60 class allows for both experimentation in design as well as sailing expertise. I am hooked!!

Hence, I was up at 4:00 a.m. to watch the start:

It did NOT disappoint!

Even if you do not sail, I encourage watching the first 4 minutes of the video. Some history, some spectacular video … it is worth a look!

I am currently following the YB race tracker. (New tab (rolexfastnetrace.com))

And in addition to the IMOCA 60 class, I am keeping an eye on IRC3 and specifically Dee Caffari, skpper of Gentoo. Dee Caffari is most known for the first woman to circumnavigate the globe BOTH ways :). She was a commentator during the Vendee Globe … a favorite commentator of mine and I have followed her subsequent racing and she has a nice dog :) !

The first finishers … probably the multihulls, might be late Monday UTC/early Tuesday my time. The weather forecast is challenging.

The IMOCA 60’s are sailing double-handed, BUT with an on board reporter (OBR). So, there should be video and still documentation of their progress and experience.

Meanwhile, here in NW Montana … far from any ocean … we are enjoying a cool break which includes some wonderful rain!!

Again, I moved everything off the front porch and out into the yard to allow all to have some REAL rain!

AND, I picked 5 more of the Husky Cherry tomatoes .. YUM!!

In anticipation of a cool Sunday, I started a seedy spelt sourdough loaf and a batch of sourdough cinnamon rolls. Both started Saturday evening and baked this morning.

A very early start to Sunday, but much accomplished as well as much fun to watch the race … what a great week end!!