VIDEO: Stories from the Fastnet Race

Published on July 28th, 2023

A record-sized fleet of 430 yachts got underway for the 50th edition of Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Rolex Fastnet Race from Cowes on July 22, 2023.

Extreme conditions had the fleet in survival mode for the first 12-24 hours, with the conditions settling down for a while before the next front came sweeping through.

By then, the big guns had finished their sandwiches after one night at sea and were heading to the finish line to set a new course record in Cherbourg, France.

This was the second consecutive occasion in which the race had a French finish via a 695 nautical mile course around the Fastnet Rock.

For many of the rest of the fleet that had battled through the horrendous conditions at the start, there was more to come. This was an edition of the race that will be talked about for some time to come and one that delivered plenty of stories. This video by Matthew Sheahan has a few of his favorites.

Event information – Results – Tracking – Facebook