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62-846: The Fastnet Race is a biennial offshore yacht race organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) of the United Kingdom with the assistance of the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes and the City of Cherbourg in France. The race is named after the Fastnet Rock off southern Ireland , which the race course rounds. Along with Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and the Newport-Bermuda Race , it

124-502: A British yachtsman, conceived the idea of the race after having competed in Bermudian yacht races. Entered by seven vessels, the inaugural Fastnet Race was won by Jolie Brise in 1925. A severe European windstorm during the 1979 race resulted in the deaths of nineteen people (fifteen competing yachtsmen and four rescuers) and the involvement of some 4,000 others in what became the largest ever rescue operation in peacetime. This led to

186-593: A JNA 39 owned by Didier Gaudoux. MOCRA Multihull: Concise 10 a MOD 70 owned by Tony Lawson. Line Honours: 1 Day 18 hours and 55 minutes – Concise 10 – MOD 70 owned by Tony Lawson, Skippered by Ned Collier Wakefield. The 2019 Fastnet Race started on 3 August 2019. For the first time, boats not following the IRC standard were allowed to enter the competition. All entries were filled within four minutes and 37 seconds when entry opened on 7 January. Skipper Franck Cammas took Multihull line honours , despite running aground within

248-712: A JPK 10.10 owned by Pascal Loison; MOCRA Multihull: Oman Air - Musandam, a MOD 70 owned by Sidney Gavignet. The 340-boat registration limit was reached in 4 minutes and 24 seconds setting a new record. Winners: IRC Overall: Courrier Du Leon, a JPK 10.10 owned by Géry Trentesaux. MOCRA Multihull: Spindrift 2 a VPLP owned by Yann Guichard & Dona Bertarelli. Line Honours: 2 Days 15 Hours 42 Minutes - Comanche - VPLP/Verdier 100 Super Maxi Owned by Jim & Kristy Hinze Clark, Skippered by Ken Read The 2017 Fastnet Race started on 6 August 2017 and featured all 2017-2018 Volvo Ocean Race Teams. Yachts longer than 100 feet were also allowed to race. Winners: IRC Overall: Lann Ael 2,

310-587: A distance of around 2,225 nautical miles (2,560 mi; 4,121 km). It is one of yachting's premier offshore races, attracting entrants from all over the world. Started in 1906, the race is organized by the Transpacific Yacht Club . Fastnet was established in 1924 with 7 boats. The race covers approximately 600 miles starting at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, rounding Fastnet rock on the southern coast of Ireland, and finishing at Cherbourg, France. Until 2019,

372-401: A distance of over 682 nautical miles (1,263 km; 785 mi). The Newport to Bermuda race started in 1906. It runs from Newport, Rhode Island to Bermuda . The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac was founded in 1898 with five boats. The race runs over 300 miles, from Chicago to Mackinac Island on the northern tip of the lower peninsula of Michigan. The Marblehead to Halifax race

434-412: A formula by which most racing/cruising boats were designed during that period. After its descendant, the mathematically complex International Offshore Rule (IOR) of the 1970s, contributed to much decreased seaworthiness (and even speed), the simpler Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF) system was adopted. The PHRF uses only proven performance characteristics, especially theoretical sailing speed, as

496-590: A handsome margin." Subsequently, the Cup races were conducted, usually every three to four years, based on a challenge issued by one club to the current Cup holder, which until 1983 was the NYYC. As at 2017, the La Ciotat Based Yacht Partridge 1885 is documented as being the world's oldest, still fully operational classic racing yacht. As yacht racing became more prevalent, and yacht design more diverse, it

558-414: A major overhaul of the rules and the equipment required for the competition. Several books have since been written about the 1979 race, which remains notorious in the yachting world for its loss of life. In the 1979 race, "15 sailors died, five boats sank, and at least 75 boats flipped upside down". The race drew further attention from outside the sport in 1985 when the maxi yacht Drum capsized after

620-524: A means to allow dissimilar yachts—typically crewed by friends and families at clubs rather than by professional crews—to race together. Most popular family-oriented cruising sailboats will have a rating filed with a local chapter of the PHRF. The most prevalent handicap rating systems today are the Offshore Racing Congress (ORC), Offshore Racing Rule (ORR), International Rating Certificate (IRC), and

682-572: A row of three stacks of chalk that rise about 30 metres (98 ft) out of the sea off the western extremity of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel, United Kingdom, close to Alum Bay and Scratchell's Bay , and part of Totland , the westernmost civil parish of the Isle of Wight. The Needles Lighthouse stands at the outer, western end of the formation. Built in 1859, it has been automated since 1994. The waters and adjoining seabed form part of

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744-603: A time of 23 hrs, 51 mins and 16 secs, beating the previous record by more than one hour and bringing the record under 24 hours. In 2021 the course was changed to being from Cowes to Cherbourg in France via the Fastnet Rock. Yacht race Yachting , that is, recreational boating, is very old, as exemplified in the ancient poem Catullus 4 : The yacht you see there, friends, says that she's been The fastest piece of timber ever seen; She swears that once she could have overhauled All rival boats, whether

806-457: Is 42 hrs 39 min, set by Ian Walker 's Volvo Open 70 Abu Dhabi (UAE) in 2011. The other two Volvo Open 70 participating in the 2011 Fastnet Race ( Groupama 4 and Team Sanya ) also broke the previous record, which had been set by ICAP Leopard in 2007. The multihull race record is currently 28h 02m 26s by Maxi Edmond de Rothschild. Skipper Franck Cammas took Multihull line honours on 4 August 2019, despite running aground within

868-399: Is allowed to send one team and three boats of a chosen one-design class. Formerly it was raced every two years. It appears that due to international disagreements that this event no longer takes place. The America's Cup was established in 1851. This is the oldest, and arguably the most prestigious, event in yacht racing. Participants are restricted to a measurement formula for the boats, and

930-524: Is believed to have started with sailboats in the Netherlands sometime in the 17th century. Soon, in England , custom-built racing "yachts" began to emerge and the Royal Yacht Squadron was established in 1815. In 1661 John Evelyn recorded a competition between Katherine and Anne , two large royal sailing vessels both of English design, "…the wager 100-1; the race from Greenwich to Gravesend and back." One of

992-517: Is considered one of the classic big offshore races with each distance approximately 625 nautical miles (719 mi; 1,158 km), testing both inshore and offshore skills, boat and crew preparation and speed potential. From its inception, the Fastnet Race has proven highly influential in the growth of offshore racing and remains closely linked to advances in yacht design, sailing technique and safety equipment. The Fastnet Race has been sponsored by

1054-571: Is primarily a single-handed race, but crewed boats do compete. It starts in France's north coast and runs to Guadeloupe, a French Island in the Caribbean. The race covers about 3700 miles. Mini Transat started in 1977 and runs every two years. This is a singlehanded race that crosses the Atlantic on a similar route as the Route Du Rhum. This race is broken up into two legs, the first going from France to

1116-682: Is subject to some speculation. A drawing of The Needles by Dutch landscape artist Lambert Doomer (1624–1700), made in 1646, depicts a rock formation with much stouter shape than that shown in Isaac Taylor's 1759 "one inch" map of Hampshire. The Doomer etching is contained in Atlas Blaeu-Van der Hem (published ca. 1662), which is in the Austrian National Library in Vienna . It is not clear from this drawings what transpired and whether Doomer

1178-513: The BBC Two TV programme Seven Natural Wonders (2005) as one of the wonders of Southern England . During Storm Eunice on 18 February 2022, the highest recorded wind gust in England was provisionally recorded at The Needles, at 122 miles per hour (196 km/h). LB&SCR H2 class 4-4-2 no. 423 (later no. B423 and 2423) was named The Needles after this landmark. The Needles lie just to

1240-499: The Celtic Sea , the race rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland . Returning on a largely reciprocal course, the race rounds the Isles of Scilly before finishing at Cherbourg . The finish was changed to Cherbourg from Plymouth in order to accommodate increased fleet sizes. Facilities at Plymouth were cited by organizers as one of the main reasons for the change. This

1302-725: The J/22 and J/24 , the Etchells , and the Star and New York 30 of Nathanael Herreshoff are examples of one-design boats. In general, modern yacht-racing contests are conducted according to the Racing Rules of Sailing , first established in 1928. Though complex, the RRS are intended primarily simply ensure fairness and safety. The Rules are revised and updated every four years by the body now known as World Sailing . Some yacht-racing rules give "line honours" to

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1364-564: The Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF). Many countries organise their own handicap systems which do not take into account the size, weight, or sail area of the yacht, but performance is measured on the basis of previous race results. The Irish E.C.H.O. system is such a handicap system. One-design racing was invented by Thomas (Ben) Middleton in 1886 in Killiney Bay close to Dublin City, Republic of Ireland. Middleton

1426-525: The Swiss watch manufacturing company Rolex since 2001. The Race prize is known as the Fastnet Challenge Cup. The race's main focus is on monohull handicap racing, which is presently conducted under the Royal Ocean Racing Club 's own IRC Rating Rule, which is awarded the overall trophy. However, the race has recently opened to more classes, including multihulls and providing one design class starts for

1488-693: The Volvo Ocean Race Class, IMOCA 60 and Class40 . It has also seen an increase in participation in double-handed racing. The Fastnet is a challenging race. Taking place in August, the race is often provided with Westerlies that are strong to gale force in strength. The succession of low pressure systems which advance on Ireland and Britain across the North Atlantic Ocean provide a constantly moving weather pattern for which Fastnet navigators must plan. These depressions are mostly centered north of

1550-643: The keel sheared off due to a design error. The boat was helmed by the New Zealander Phil Holland, brother of its designer Ron Holland . Pop star Simon Le Bon from Duran Duran , co-owner and crew member of Drum , was trapped under the hull with five other crew members for twenty minutes, until being rescued by the Royal Navy . The Search and Rescue Diver was Petty Officer Air Crewman (POACMN) Larry "Scouse" Slater of 771 Naval Air Squadron who appeared on This Is Your Life on 9 April 1986. Many of

1612-514: The 'Flying Start' used today. Bringing yacht racing to the forefront of public life, the America's Cup was first raced in 1851 between the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Yacht Squadron . Not ruled or regulated by measurement criteria as today, it is the second-place finisher was Aurora, "and but for the fact that time allowance had been waived for the race she would have been the winner by

1674-505: The Battery along the cliff edge, using a road reserved for bus traffic. The Needles Breezer also has stops in Alum Bay , Totland , Colwell Bay , Fort Victoria , Yarmouth , and Freshwater Bay . Breezer buses are the only vehicles allowed on the road from Alum Bay, apart from those owned by National Trust staff or, by prior appointment, vehicles transporting disabled visitors. This is because

1736-650: The Canary Islands and the second to Guadeloupe Island in the Caribbean. The South Atlantic Race was established in 1971 as "Cape to Rio" with over 50 entries. The race runs from Cape Town, South Africa to Rio de Janeiro — some 3600 miles. The Round Ireland Yacht Race is held bi-annually. Running approximately 704 miles, it starts and finishes in Wicklow, and includes all the offshore islands except Rockall. [REDACTED] Media related to Yachting races at Wikimedia Commons The Needles The Needles are

1798-458: The English Channel. Knowledge of where meteorological disturbances are likely to occur, and how best to use them, is the keynote to success in the race. The Fastnet Race took place every two years over a course of 608 nautical miles (1,126 km; 700 mi). The race started off Cowes on the Isle of Wight on the south coast of England at the Royal Yacht Squadron . Leaving the Solent through

1860-624: The Fastnet Rock). All 21 crew were rescued safely. Sixteen were rescued from the upturned hull, by the RNLI Baltimore Lifeboat Hilda Jarrett . A further 5 crewmembers, including the owner/skipper George David , had floated away from the vessel, but managed to link themselves together. They were in the water for approximately 2.5 hours, before being rescued by a Baltimore based diving vessel, Wave Chieftain . One of these crewmembers, Wendy Touton, suffered hypothermia and

1922-539: The Island from Culver Cliff in the east to the Needles in the west, and then continues under the sea to the Isle of Purbeck , forming Ballard Cliff (near Swanage ), Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door . At Old Harry Rocks (east of Studland and north of Swanage ) these strata lines moving from horizontal to near vertical can be seen from the sea. The shape of the lost Lot's Wife stone column, recorded as collapsing in 1764,

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1984-519: The Needles Channel, the race followed the southern coastline of England westward down the English Channel before rounding Land's End . After crossing the Celtic Sea , the race rounded the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland . Returning on a largely reciprocal course, the race rounded the Isles of Scilly before finishing at Plymouth . The Royal Western Yacht Club who supported

2046-540: The Needles Marine Conservation Zone and the Needles along with the shore and heath above are part of the Headon Warren and West High Down Site of Special Scientific Interest . The formation takes its name from a fourth needle-shaped pillar called Lot's wife , which collapsed in a storm in 1764. The remaining rocks are not at all needle-like, but the name has stuck. The Needles were featured on

2108-527: The RORC with the finish of the race in Plymouth now run a race on the original course. The race starts off the Royal Yacht Squadron start line of Cowes on the Isle of Wight on the south coast of England at the Royal Yacht Squadron . Leaving the Solent through the Needles Channel, the race follows the southern coastline of England westward down the English Channel , before rounding Land's End . After crossing

2170-487: The beach. The Needles were a site of a long-standing artillery battery , from the 1860s to 1954, which was eventually decommissioned. A nearby site on High Down was employed in the testing of rockets for the British ICBM programme. The headland at High Down was used for Black Knight and Black Arrow rocket engine tests from 1956 to 1971. During the peak of activity in the early 1960s some 240 people worked at

2232-489: The boats to retire, sheltering in ports along the south coast of England, including Torbay , Plymouth and Weymouth . By 10:00hrs on 16 August, 207 boats of the 271-strong field had retired with at least three suffering rig problems. Despite the conditions, Mike Slade's Icap Leopard 3 , launched in June 2007, set a new record of 44 hours 18 min, taking almost 9 hours off the previous record set in 1999. Ger O'Rourke's Chieftain

2294-481: The challenge called For racing under canvas or with oars. (trans. James Michie) "Yacht" is referred to as deriving from either Norwegian ("jagt"), Middle Low German ("jaght") or from the Dutch word jacht, which means "a swift light vessel of war, commerce or pleasure. The sporting element in the word lies in the derivation of jaght from the root jaghen, which means to hunt, chase or pursue…." The formal racing of boats

2356-435: The competitors. Buoys were laid in a straight line, to which the competitors attached their yachts by means of spring ropes. The yachts were required to keep all the sails forward of the mainmast on deck until the starting signal was given. The Yacht Racing Association was founded in 1875 by Prince Batthyany-Strattman, Captain J. W. Hughes, and Mr. Dixon Kemp. The Y.R.A. wrote standardised yacht racing rules which included

2418-652: The complex, while the rockets were built in nearby East Cowes . These rockets were later used to launch the Prospero X-3 satellite. The site is now owned by the National Trust , and is open to the public. Concrete installations remain, but the buildings that were less durable have either been demolished or were torn down by the elements. In 1982, Prince Charles officially opened the restored Needles Old Battery facility. Underground rocket testing rooms are currently being restored for exhibition. The first phase of restoration

2480-462: The finish line first, much as in foot and horse races, should suffice to win the contest. As a result, both ratings and “ one-design ” competition were developed. Ratings systems rely upon some formulaic analysis of usually very specific yacht-design parameters such as length, sail area , displacement , and hull shape. During the 1920s and through the 1970s the Cruising Club of America established

2542-724: The finish line was in New York). It is a single-handed race against the prevailing wind and current in the North Atlantic. The race is held every 4 years but has become an amateur race in the early 21st century. Originally, the Ostar was the main race for offshore sailors, but has meanwhile lost its status to the Route du Rhum. The race covers about 3,000 miles. Route Du Rhum was established in 1978. This race happens every four years, starting in November. It

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2604-476: The first boat to cross the finish line and "handicap honours" to the corrected time winner, which may be a slower boat with a lower handicap. The major races of today can be classified as inshore, offshore, ocean, and around the world. They adhere to one set of rules, but use diverse handicapping standards. The Admiral's Cup was created in 1957 by the Admiral of the Royal Ocean Racing Club . Each country involved

2666-444: The first few hours. This was the first sub-30 hour run, beating Loick Peyron and the crew of Banque Populaire’s 2011 time by 4h 45m. The MACIF of Francois Gabbart lost the line honours by only 58 seconds, having led just minutes prior. The World Speed Sailing Record Council also recognises the course record for an official record , which is currently held by Maserati , a MOD 70 skippered by Giovanni Soldini, on 21 May 2021 in

2728-550: The first few hours. This was the first sub-30 hour run, beating Loick Peyron and the crew of Banque Populaire’s 2011 time by 4h 45m. The Macif of Francois Gabbart lost the line honours by only 58 seconds, having led just minutes in prior. In third place, was the Sodebo Ultim 3 of Thomas Coville . The adjusted time race was won by the Wizard, a Volvo Open 70 , owned by David and Peter Askew and sailed by Charlie Enright . 2021

2790-479: The fleet contestants experienced a total solar eclipse in the Celtic Sea on the way to the Fastnet Rock. The RORC in 2007 set an entry limit of 300 boats for the first time. The start of the 2007 Race was postponed by 25 hours, due to a severe weather warning. This was the first time this had been done in the race's 83-year history. Overnight gale force winds and resulting extreme seas forced over three-quarters of

2852-534: The four coastguard cottages owned by the National Trust . A branch of the National Coastwatch Institution is also based at the Needles, sited near the New Battery and Rocket Testing Site on High Down. The Needles – Landmark Attraction (previously known as The Needles Pleasure Park) situated at the top of the cliff at Alum Bay is a small amusement park. A chairlift operates between the park and

2914-472: The race finished at Plymouth. The Tour De France A La Voile was established in 1978 with 20 boats. The race parallels the cycling event and takes place along France's three coasts: English Channel, Atlantic Ocean, and the Mediterranean. It covers over 1000 miles. The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was established in 1945. This Australian race runs from Sydney , New South Wales to Hobart , Tasmania —

2976-474: The rules concerning this formula have been controversial since the beginning. The English, who were the challengers for the first 132 years of the race, commented "England rules the waves, but America waives the rules." This race was not traditionally an inshore race, due to the requirement that the British boat would sail to the racing area, which involved sailing trans-Atlantically. The Auckland Anniversary Regatta

3038-525: The single track road's position close to the cliff edge is considered dangerous for multiple car use. The Isle of Wight Coast Path has its westernmost point at the Coastguard Cottages. The Needles' pointed shape is a result of their unusual geology. The strata have been so heavily folded during the Alpine Orogeny that the chalk is near vertical. This chalk outcrop runs through the centre of

3100-429: The southwest of Alum Bay , and are a tourist draw. Scenic boat trips operate from Alum Bay that offer close-up views of the Needles. The rocks and lighthouse have become icons of the Isle of Wight , often photographed by visitors, and are featured on many of the souvenirs sold throughout the island. The main tourist attractions of the headland itself are the two gun batteries, the experimental rocket testing station, and

3162-572: The vessels was owned, and sometimes steered, by Charles II . In 1782, the Cumberland Fleet , a class of sailing vessel known for its ability to sail close to the wind, were painted racing up the Thames River with spectators viewing from a bridge. Much like today, this obsession with sailing close to the wind with speed and efficiency fueled the racing community. In the 19th century, most yacht races were started by allotting starting positions to

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3224-502: Was completed in 2004. The batteries are accessible by car, foot, bicycle, and bus. Though there is a paved road up to The Old and The New batteries, access is on foot, from a car park. The battery site becomes dangerous in high winds and is closed to the public in winds above force 8 . In the spring and summer, the Southern Vectis bus company sends open-top buses along a route called The Needles Breezer . This route approaches

3286-490: Was concerned that winning a yacht race was more reliant on having an expensive new yacht, than it was on the skill of the yachtsman. One design yacht racing is conducted with classes of similar boats, all built—often via mass-production—to the same design, with the same sail area and rig, and the same number of crew, so that crew ability and tactical expertise are more likely to decide a race than boat type, or age, or even weather. Popular racing boats such as The Water Wag, Laser,

3348-485: Was exercising artistic license . Doomer's painting shows three stacks when there should have been four, prior to the collapse of Lot's Wife . Just off the end of The Needles formation is the Shingles, a shifting shoal of pebbles just beneath the waves. The Shingles is approximately three miles in length. Many ships have been wrecked on the Shingles and three notable vessels on The Needles themselves: HMS Assurance in

3410-800: Was founded in 1840. It includes the Heather Cup, which has been contested on over 170 yearly occasions since establishment. (It was halted briefly during the Second Boer War .) The Vic-Maui Yacht Race runs from Victoria, Canada to Lahaina, Hawaii — a distance of 2,308 nautical miles ((4,274 km)). The race was started in 1965 and is held every other year. It is the longest of the Pacific-Hawaii races. The Transpacific Yacht Race (Transpac) starts off Point Fermin ( San Pedro , near Los Angeles ) and ends off Diamond Head Lighthouse in Honolulu —

3472-586: Was founded in 1905. The race runs for over 360 miles, from Marblehead, Massachusetts to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Coastal Classic , started in 1982, is held in New Zealand. At about 125 miles, it is shorter than most offshore races. It runs north from Auckland to Russell, which is at the northern tip of New Zealand's North Island. Ostar was organised by the Royal Western Yacht Club and first held in 1960. The Ostar runs from Plymouth to Newport (in 1960

3534-480: Was necessary to establish systems of measurements and time allowances due to the differences in boat design. Longer yachts are inherently faster than shorter ones; therefore, in the interests of fairness, in the 1820s a “primitive system of time allowance was introduced on the Solent .” Larger yachts were handicapped; but owners with the biggest vessels had a problem with the allowance system, for they preferred that crossing

3596-399: Was not universally accepted due to the nearly 100 year heritage of the course and race. This change also increases the course distance to over 700 nautical miles (1,300 km). Coastal landmarks passed along the route include: The Needles , Portland Bill , Start Point , The Lizard , Land's End , the Fastnet Rock , Bishop's Rock off Scilly, and Cherbourg breakwater. Weston Martyr ,

3658-514: Was set at 42hrs 39min by Volvo Open 70 "Abu Dhabi", skippered by Ian Walker. Plymouth Yacht Haven was selected as host port RORC Increased the number of entries to meet demands. With the entry limit of 300 filled within 24 hours, over 100 boats on the waiting list and entries from multihulls, IMOCA 60s and Class 40s still coming in, demand for places in 2013's Fastnet Race has been at its highest level thus far. Winners (the following results are to be considered provisional): IRC Overall: Night And Day,

3720-498: Was taken by helicopter to Tralee General Hospital. Four crew-members had been below decks at the time of capsize and were not adequately dressed for egress into the sea. All uninjured crew were taken to Baltimore. The Naval Service patrol ship LÉ Aoife remained with the hull, worth $ 10,000,000 before the capsize, before it was towed to Barleycove by the Castletownbere -based tug Ocean Bank . The Fastnet Monohull Race record

3782-474: Was the first year where the race finish was in Cherbourg . It started on 8 August 2021 in a strong south westerly breeze. Winners: IRC Overall: Sunrise, a JPK 1180 owned by Thomas Kneen and navigated by Tom Cheney & Suzy Peters MOCRA Multihull: Allegra, a 84 ft Nigel Irens designed catamaran sailed by Adrian Keller IMOCA 60: Apivia saild by Charlie Dalin & Paul Meilhat The monohull race record

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3844-496: Was the overall winner on corrected time. A record number of 320 boats entered the 2011 race – the largest total since the ill-fated 1979 race (303 entries). A total of nineteen nations were represented, with the bulk of entries still from Britain and France. In 2011, the 100-foot maxi yacht Rambler 100 turtled after her keel broke off between Fastnet Rock and the Pantaenius Buoy (a temporary race mark placed southwest of

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