VIDEO: Jersey sailors holding their own in Fastnet race

Tuesday 08 August 2017

Jerseyman Phil Sharp and his teammates have slipped into second place in one of the world’s most prestigious and dangerous offshore races.

The Rolex Fastnet Race is a biennial yacht race where competitors must sail over 600 miles from Cowes, Isle of Wight, around the Fastnet Rock at the southernmost tip of Ireland and back to Plymouth.

Pictured: The Rolex Fastnet Race route from Cowes, Isle of Wight, around Fastnet Rock and back to Plymouth.

Having maintained their lead at the front of the Class 40 fleet, Team Imerys have been overtaken by fellow Briton Miranda Merron aboard the 'Campagne de France'. As the leading sailors approach the Fastnet Rock, the race is getting very close with only a few nautical miles separating first and second position.

The 92-year-old race is notoriously difficult and dangerous. In 1979, in what became known as the 'Fastnet Tragedy', a freak storm caused the deaths of nineteen people, including yachtsmen and rescuers.

Phil, who was born in Jersey, and his crew members Robin Marais, Pablo Santurde and Pietro Luciani set off on Sunday and are currently leading the Class 40 category aboard Phil's yacht 'Imerys'. On day three of the race, Team Imerys are battling it out with fellow Briton Miranda Merron aboard the ‘Campagne de France’ and French skipper Maxime Sorel on  ‘V and B’.

VIDEO: The latest video from aboard Imerys (Phil Sharp Racing).

Speaking about Team Imerys’ progress this morning, Phil said: “After yesterday afternoon's unstable and light sailing conditions it is good to be back into some decent breeze this morning, even if we are pounding upwind once more... Currently it is very difficult to predict who is going to come out on top, even though we are in the lead now.

“Life sailing upwind at a constant tilt is never too comfortable, particularly sleeping. There is only one bunk windward so if a second person is asleep out of four crew members (two on watch, two off), the second wedges himself between the structure of the boat to stop him falling from the high side. Quality sleep outside on the deck is difficult and now that we are out into the Celtic Sea it’s too cold.

“We are pushing every fraction of a knot out of the boat, and due to reach the Fastnet Rock at about 1900 UTC today. We can’t wait as it means no more upwind, and instead a very fast downwind blast under spinnaker. So, lots to look forward to!”

As of 17:00 today (8 August) Team Imerys had 269.4 nautical miles left to cover.

Phil isn’t the only island representative enjoying success in the Fastnet, with Alex Thomson, son of a Jerseyman, who has maintained his 9^th place position in the IMOCA 60 category. Alex, whose family lives in Jersey, this year became the fastest Briton ever to sail the world after finishing the Vendée Globe in second place.

VIDEO: Alex Thomson updates his followers on his progress (Alex Thomson Racing).

As of 17:00 today (8 August) Alex had 235.5 nautical miles left to cover. To track both Phil's and Alex's progress in the Fastnet, click here.