Betreff: FASTNET RACE: AFTER 608 MILES, IT ALL CAME DOWN TO JUST 6 MINUTES AT THE FINISH LINE...
Absender: "Offshore Challenges"
Datum: 14. Aug 2003 00:15
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IN BRIEF:
* THE TUMULTUOUS BATTLE FOR THE FINAL PLACES IN THE IMOCA OPEN 60 FLEET FINISHED TONIGHT
* FOR 'SKANDIA SET SAIL' AND ECOVER IT WAS A MATCH RACE TO THE LINE...ONLY A COUPLE OF HUNDRED METRES BETWEEN THE TWO BOATS AND ONLY 6 MINUTES
* DOMINIQUE WAVRE CLINCHED THIRD PLACE JUST 20 MINUTES Ahead OF ECOVER
* IT WAS A LONG, HARD-FOUGHT 608 MILE RACE DOGGED BY LIGHT WINDS AND STRONG TIDAL GATES... THE GLORY GOES TO CLASS WINNER VMI
* READ CREW COMMENTS FROM ON BOARD 'SKANDIA SET SAIL' MOMENTS AFTER CROSSING THE LINE
IN DETAIL:
At 20:38:12 on Wednesday night 'SKANDIA SET SAIL' crossed the Rolex Fastnet Race finish line after a tremendous battle for third place that went right to the line... After 608 miles of difficult light wind conditions and strong tidal gates that dog this classic race course from Cowes to Plymouth via Fastnet Rock, only 22 minutes separated the final three 60s. For Mike Golding's ECOVER and the crew of 'SKANDIA SET SAIL' it was a fight right to the finish with only a couple of hundred metres and six minutes between them at the line.
Dominique Wavre and his crew on CHAMAN3 finished in 3rd at 20:17:18 BST this evening, four hours after Vincent Riou on PRB. Mike Golding did PRB a favour when he called the boat to warn them that they must round the Pantaenius Buoy off the Rock which they went back and did. But, of course, the glory went to Sebastien Josse and his crew on VMI who dominated this race from the early stages and finished 15 hours ahead - no doubt they are already back in France...
COMMENTS FROM THE 'SKANDIA SET SAIL' CREW:
NICK MOLONEY (AUS):
"It was a great race - awesome one of the best one I've done as far as action goes...loads of decision making, manoeuvres, trimming all the time...really full on. VMI had a glamour they got through and had a beauty. We had this most awesome duel with Ecover under full moonlight, long swells...we were in front, he was in front, only a couple of minutes apart...really great.
In the final stges we had to anchor then had problems getting the hook up and lost loads of time there. We got back in the lead but then the breeze died to nothing and swung 180 degrees which Mike benefitted from. And even approaching the finish here, he didn't look like he would cross us... The result may not be what we wanted but we had an awesome race.
The crew worked out well...everyone was very focussed the whole way... working real hard. Wayne and Robin were really stoked to go round Rock...it was quite emotional. Really cool for us to have done this and it was great that Skandia gave us this opportunity...a classic race."
MARK DENTON (UK):
"Well, to be honest we are a little bit gutted...think we should have done better. It was a very tough race with very little wind - would have just loved to have beaten Mike in - it was so close. That could have been the compensation for all the effort but he got the upperhand this time. Without a doubt, the light winds make it harder - it was so much of a lottery across the course...where you were positioned and no particular advantage on either side. No one slept hardly at all over the last 2 or 3 days...a massive effort for everyone...."
JONNY MALBON (UK)
"It was a full on battle...just another chapter in the history of these two 60s. Off the Scilly Isles we were less then a couple of metres apart...changing positions all the time. It's a shame really, in the last poll today we were a mile ahead then Mike just pipped us by a few metres. It's just a shame we didn't come out on top."
TIMMY KRÖGER (GER)
"We survived it finally! Very, very long race and we never let go. We had some good moments and always tried to position ourselves so we could pull back on other guys but in the end we didn't succeed. The whole weather was very difficult with adverse tides...a real challenge and a very tiring process. This is my tenth Fastnet and it will stand out as the 'light' Fastnet - light most of the way - we had some 25 knots at Lands End for a few hours that's all... In the Fastnet's I have done before, some have had periods of light winds but not for the majority of the race. It was difficult coming back close to shore with the wind coming and going, and you couldn't foresse what was going to come next.... But the morale on board was really good, we just tried to keep on rocking, tried to be fast and attack when we could."
WAYNE NORRIS (RSA)
"Really good experience for me...pity about the wind but really very good tactically. A lot of poll changes...never knew who was going to take it and who wasn't, backwards and forwards all the time. Must admit to feeling pretty tired - we didn't get much sleep."
ROBIN MARKS (UK):
"Hard work, but great fun... The Rock was unbelievable just looked fantastic and quite eerie under full moonlight. A great team but just very tiring to keep boat moving. Food on board is only criticism! Sweets ran out far too early. After the EDS Atlantic Challenge on this boat when she was Kingfisher, I was exhausted but this was even more wearing...changing sails all the time and not enough food or sleep to compensate."
OPEN 60 CLASS POSITIONS AT 1600 BST - FASTNET RACE - WEDNESDAY, 13.8.03:
Boat / Skipper / Finish Times BST / Race Duration
1st VMI / Sebastien Josse / 01:25:52 / 2d 15h 25m 52s
2nd PRB / Vincent Riou / 16:20:23 / 3d 6h 20m 23s
3rd Chaman 3 / Dominique Wavre / 20:17:18 / 3d 10m 17m 18s
4th Ecover / Mike Golding / 20:32:43 / 3d 10h 32m 43s
5th SKANDIA SET SAIL / Moloney/Malbon/Denton / 20:38:12 / 3d 10h 38m 12s
The Open 60 fleet were the only boats that were being polled automatically via Sat C and race positions were posted on this site throughout the day. This service was provided by OC Events with the support of Ecover and Skandia.
ENDS
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