2007

The 2,007 Rolex Fastnet RACE that also did the times of the official prolog for regata to two without shutdowns Barcelona World RACE, demonstrated to be one hard test for the pairs on board monocoques IMOCA 60. Regata of 608 miles was dominated by the French pair Vincent Riou (winning of the Vendée Globe of the 2004) and Seb Josse (landlord of ABN AMOR2) that dominated regata of 608 miles until taking to the PRB to the line of goal in the first place in a time of 2 days, 2 hours, 17 minutes and 44 seconds, strengthening its position like favorites of Barcelona World RACE that will begin the 11 of November. A total of 15 IMOCA 60 began regata - eight of which they will compete in Barcelona World RACE - but in these hard conditions all could not finish, including the Spanish Star Damm and Educación without Borders plus Roland Jourdain' s Veolia Environnement.

Strong winds of the southwest, often gale also turned, it into a challenge but into a fast race. PRB has established a new record in class IMOCA 60 having beaten the record set by Catherine Chabaud with the Whirlpool in 1999 in 3 hours, 1 minute and 16 seconds (still to ratify). Also, Alex Thompson and Andrew Cape on board Hugo Boss that crossed the line of goal in Plymouth to the 14:48: 01 GMT followed 4 minutes later by Jérémie Beyou and Signey Gavignet with the Delta only Gilds with 14:52: 07 have also beaten the record of Chabaud' s. Maxi ICAP of 100 feet Leopard took control of Rolex Fastnet RACE and crushed the record of monocoques but the leader of IMOCA 60 also beat the previous record of monocoques established in 1999 by RF Yachting.

RF Yachting was 20 feet longer than IMOCA 60 but the change of technology combined with the windy conditions has done of this edition of record. The navigators Swiss and French Dominique Wavre and Michele Paret, took to Temenos 2 to the line of goal to the 15:35: 11 GMT, 3 hours and 18 minutes after the PRB. The Spaniards Javier Sanso and Pachi Rivero on board the Mutual Madrilenian, arrived at the goal to the 17:04: 51 GMT after 2 days, 7 hours and 4 minutes.

This regata of 608 miles became a short but intense period of time for these skippers that they had to do them with changing and challenging atmospheric conditions. Sleeping the minimum, they finished cold, dunked and exhausted, having done the possible thing to be in the head, always watching of not breaking no element of the boat. If this prolog fits it has been a snapshot of the Barcelona World RACE that will count on nine equipment haggling 25,000 miles without shutdowns during three months crossing the most hostile oceans of the planet.

Results Barcelona World RACE Prolog/Rolex Fastnet RACE:

Position/name boat/to -skipper skipper and Co/time of arrival GMT/time difference

1st PRB/Vincent Riou (FRA) and Sébastien Josse (FRA)/12:17: 44/50:17: 44
2nd Hugo Boss/Alex Thomson (GBR) and Andrew Cape (AUS)/14:48: 01/52:48: 01
3rd Delta Gilds/Jérémie Beyou (FRA) and Sydney Gavignet (FRA) /14: 52: 07/52: 52: 07
4th Temenos 2/Dominique Wavre (SUI) and Michele Paret (FRA) /15: 35: 11/63: 35: 11
5th Mutual Madrilenian/Javier Sanso (ESP) and Pachi Rivero (SHE IS) /17: 04: 51/55: 04: 51
RTD Stars Damm/Guillermo Altadill (ESP) & Jonathan McKee (the USA)
RTD Veolia Environnement/Roland Jourdain (FRA) & Jean Luc Nélias (FRA)
RTD Education without Borders/Servanne Escoffier (FRA) & Albert Bargués (ESP)

Update of the Qualification for Barcelona World RACE after Rolex Fastnet RACE:

Temenos 2 - qualified
Delta Gilds - qualified
Mutual Madrilenian - qualified
PRB - qualified
Veolia Environnement - additional miles lack before the qualification
Paprec Virbac - additional miles lack before the qualification
Hugo Boss - additional miles lack before the qualification

Damm star - for want of 2800nm for the qualification
Education without Borders - for want of 2800nm for the qualification