Clash Of The Titans For The Upcoming Rolex Fastnet Race : Sailmix

While the Rolex Fastnet Race’s top prize is the Fastnet Challenge Trophy and Rolex chronometer for the first of the 302 boats competing under IRC Rating, another significant battle will be between the most high profile monohulls and multihulls, gunning for line honours into Plymouth.

Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing Azzam at the 2013 Rolex Fastnet Race -  Rolex/Daniel Forster

Leading the charge among this year’s record breaking entry (currently standing at 350 in total) will be two of the world’s fastest offshore racing monohulls, the maxis Esimit Europa two and Mike Slade’s ICAP Leopard. Of these the European-flagged Esimit Europa two is the clear favourite: Both boats are fitted with canting keels and are 100ft long, but she is some 40% lighter than ICAP Leopard.

However Esimit Europa second skipper, German three time Olympic medallist Jochen Schümann observes that the 100ft maxis don’t have the greatest record on this course. Rambler 100 broke her keel and capsized just after rounding the Fastnet Rock in 2011 while, in her previous life as Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo, Esimit Europa two was forced to pull out while leading the 2007 race. Read/View: Clash Of The Titans For The Upcoming Rolex Fastnet Race : Sailmix