Start

At 12:45 hours this Saturday, the IMOCA fleet in the 48th edition of the famous Rolex Fastnet Race will set sail from Cowes bound for Plymouth via the Fastnet lighthouse along a 608-mile course. “We should head off with between 10 and 15 knots of breeze, but with a big transition to deal with tonight. We’re going to have to try to negotiate it well as the first to latch onto the new breeze will likely be able to make good their escape. I really believe it’ll be one of the key points, if not the clincher of the race”, assured Giancarlo Pedote, shortly before leaving his anchorage offshore of the Isle of Wight and making for the start zone where nearly 400 boats will set sail over the course of the afternoon. “We’re going to need to pay fairly close attention to the others and remain prudent so as not to damage the boat at the start, but very early on, gaps will open up, particularly with regards the transition phase I mentioned, so essentially it’s going to be a drag race to and from the Fastnet, on a reach. We’re clearly going to have to be on top of our game to get the boat working as best we can”, added the skipper of the 60-footer in the colours of Prysmian Group who, according to the latest routing he ran with his associate Anthony Marchand, is set to complete the course in two days and eight hours, which equates to midway through Monday night.