Friday, 19 August 2011
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Rolex Fastnet Race : A Double Dose of Victory for Banque Populaire V - and Self-Defeat for her Skipper!
Maxi Banque Populaire V wins the Rolex Fastnet Race in real time and holds two new records
Banque Populaire V after rounding the Fastnet Rock. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
by Marine Carrie
From records to victories, the Maxi Banque Populaire V carries on expanding her collection of brilliant exploits, which are a source of great pride.
Thus, for the first time, Banque Populaire goes down in the history of one of the most prestigious racing events, a sailing myth: the Rolex Fastnet Race. By covering the 608 miles distance between the Solent and the famous Irish lighthouse in 32 hours 48 minutes and 46 seconds, Loïck Peyron and his men are dropping a record set in 1999 by ... Loïck Peyron himself. Or when the history happily repeats itself.
Bound to British accuracy, it was twelve on the dot last Sunday when traditional canons freed the fleet of 300 boats in the Solent. In front of competitors’ bows of all sizes: 608 miles of an exceptional journey and a quest, the Fastnet Rock in the Irish Sea. On board the Maxi Banque Populaire V, the largest sailing boat engaged in this unique armada, the objective was clear: to be the fastest and keep competitors, albeit smaller but still menacing, in awe. More used to challenge the clock without any other opponent that time itself, the confrontation sailing mode was a rare but very exciting opportunity that the thirteen men on board did not fail to seize: "We had already seen that our competitor, Gitana 11 was doing fine at the Record SNSM. Once again, they were not far away from us, even on our back. This has forced us trying things we probably would not have without this motivation. We really raced and we learnt a lot about the boat. "
English Conditions
Banque Populaire V crosses the finishing line off Plymouth. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
Once the Fastnet Lighthouse was passed in the lead this Monday morning, the maxi trimaran completed the course at 8pm 48 minutes and 46 seconds (French time), after 32 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds of a race conducted in... English weather conditions and whose lack of strength was rather unfavourable to the establishment of a new reference time: "We started with very good weather which allowed us to make a nice start in the Solent. We sailed upwind on the first half of the race. We had proper English conditions with light wind. And then fortunately, turning once again the Fastnet - a nice lighthouse we definitely see a lot lately - we finally got 30 knots of wind to go down to the finish line. "
Conductor of a great orchestra
Happy to finish and always ready to give vent to his legendary enthusiasm Loïck Peyron remembered "his" history with the Rolex Fastnet Race and the paradox of the day: "Today is a bad and a good day for me! The record set in 1999 with Fujicolor was just beaten. Since then, it had never been bothered. The good news is that it is the great crew I get to set the tempo to that has beaten it. It is not going too far! It really is an incredible pleasure to sail with those exceptional men on board this great machine. When you have an orchestra like this, music can only be good ".
Banque Populaire V's victorious crew after winning the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
The Maxi Banque Populaire V will go back offshore to set sail towards her home port of Lorient and her base. Out of water in the week, she will undergo a complete check-up before starting to prepare for her major offshore adventure, the Jules Verne Trophy which Loïck Peyron and his men will attack later this year.
Milestones
Maxi Banque Populaire V time on the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011: 32 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds at an average speed of 18.5 knots (awaiting validation by the WSSRC)
Previous record established on the race by Fujicolor in 1999: 40 hours and 27 minutes
Record established on the course set by Playstation in 2002: 35 hours 17 minutes 14 seconds
Banque Populaire V
Rolex Fastnet Race
Banque Populaire V after rounding the Fastnet Rock. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
by Marine Carrie
From records to victories, the Maxi Banque Populaire V carries on expanding her collection of brilliant exploits, which are a source of great pride.
Thus, for the first time, Banque Populaire goes down in the history of one of the most prestigious racing events, a sailing myth: the Rolex Fastnet Race. By covering the 608 miles distance between the Solent and the famous Irish lighthouse in 32 hours 48 minutes and 46 seconds, Loïck Peyron and his men are dropping a record set in 1999 by ... Loïck Peyron himself. Or when the history happily repeats itself.
Bound to British accuracy, it was twelve on the dot last Sunday when traditional canons freed the fleet of 300 boats in the Solent. In front of competitors’ bows of all sizes: 608 miles of an exceptional journey and a quest, the Fastnet Rock in the Irish Sea. On board the Maxi Banque Populaire V, the largest sailing boat engaged in this unique armada, the objective was clear: to be the fastest and keep competitors, albeit smaller but still menacing, in awe. More used to challenge the clock without any other opponent that time itself, the confrontation sailing mode was a rare but very exciting opportunity that the thirteen men on board did not fail to seize: "We had already seen that our competitor, Gitana 11 was doing fine at the Record SNSM. Once again, they were not far away from us, even on our back. This has forced us trying things we probably would not have without this motivation. We really raced and we learnt a lot about the boat. "
English Conditions
Banque Populaire V crosses the finishing line off Plymouth. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
Once the Fastnet Lighthouse was passed in the lead this Monday morning, the maxi trimaran completed the course at 8pm 48 minutes and 46 seconds (French time), after 32 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds of a race conducted in... English weather conditions and whose lack of strength was rather unfavourable to the establishment of a new reference time: "We started with very good weather which allowed us to make a nice start in the Solent. We sailed upwind on the first half of the race. We had proper English conditions with light wind. And then fortunately, turning once again the Fastnet - a nice lighthouse we definitely see a lot lately - we finally got 30 knots of wind to go down to the finish line. "
Conductor of a great orchestra
Happy to finish and always ready to give vent to his legendary enthusiasm Loïck Peyron remembered "his" history with the Rolex Fastnet Race and the paradox of the day: "Today is a bad and a good day for me! The record set in 1999 with Fujicolor was just beaten. Since then, it had never been bothered. The good news is that it is the great crew I get to set the tempo to that has beaten it. It is not going too far! It really is an incredible pleasure to sail with those exceptional men on board this great machine. When you have an orchestra like this, music can only be good ".
Banque Populaire V's victorious crew after winning the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
The Maxi Banque Populaire V will go back offshore to set sail towards her home port of Lorient and her base. Out of water in the week, she will undergo a complete check-up before starting to prepare for her major offshore adventure, the Jules Verne Trophy which Loïck Peyron and his men will attack later this year.
Milestones
Maxi Banque Populaire V time on the Rolex Fastnet Race 2011: 32 hours, 48 minutes and 46 seconds at an average speed of 18.5 knots (awaiting validation by the WSSRC)
Previous record established on the race by Fujicolor in 1999: 40 hours and 27 minutes
Record established on the course set by Playstation in 2002: 35 hours 17 minutes 14 seconds
Banque Populaire V
Rolex Fastnet Race
Rolex Fastnet Race : Rambler 100 Loses Keel
Rambler 100. Image copyright Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi.
by Trish Jenkins
At midnight, Monday 15 August, Eddie Warden Owen, Chief Executive of the Royal Ocean Racing Club received a call from Mick Harvey, Project Manager of George David's Rambler 100 (USA). Harvey spoke about the harrowing incident when the 100' Maxi Rambler 100 capsized in the Celtic Sea during the Rolex Fastnet Race.
The incident happened just after Rambler 100 rounded the Fastnet Rock at 17:25 BST. At the time, Rambler 100 was leading the monohull fleet and vying for monohull line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race which started on Sunday 14th.
Mick Harvey's account of the incident was charged with emotion. The tough Australian, who now lives in Newport, Rhode Island (USA), is a seasoned veteran, but he was understandably shaken by the incident:
"Soon after rounding the Fastnet Rock, the wind went southwest, right on the nose. We were beating into big seas, launching Rambler off the top of full size waves. I was down below with navigator, Peter Isler when we heard the sickening sound of the keel breaking off. It was instantaneous; there was no time to react. The boat turned turtle, just like a dinghy capsizing. Peter Isler issued a Mayday and we got out of there as quickly as we could."
The EPIRB had been activated and a number of crew climbed over the guardrails and onto the hull as the boat capsized and helped those swimming to safety. The Atlantic swell made it difficult for the crew to get out of the water however, working together, 16 of the crew managed to scale the upturned hull.
Five of the crew were swept away by the waves out of reach of the stricken Maxi and these included Skipper, George David and partner Wendy Touton who were in the water for two and a half hours. This group linked arms, forming a circle. Valencia Coastguard diverted a local fishing boat, Wave Chieftain to assist, which winched the crew on board. Earlier a helicopter had been scrambled from Shannon Airport helicopter, Wendy Touton was airlifted for medical attention due to the effects of hypothermia and the four remaining crew were taken to Baltimore Harbour where they were re-united with the 16 crew rescued by the Baltimore Lifeboat.
"It was a scary moment. One that I will never forget," admitted Mick Harvey. "I can't begin to tell you how relieved I am that all of the crew are safe. The town of Baltimore has given us a wonderful welcome. I can not thank our rescuers and the people of this lovely village enough. Wendy is in Kerry Hospital and doing fine, I am just so relieved that everybody is okay."
Rolex Fastnet Race
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