It was a riveting day of racing at the Rolex Fastnet race on July 27, 2025, as four remarkable 100ft foiling trimarans rounded Fastnet Rock, putting on an exhilarating display of speed and skill. The French Ultim SVR Lazartigue, skippered by the impressive Tom Lapeche, stole the limelight by taking the lead at 1520hrs local time, an hour before the second yacht, Banque Populaire. Following closely behind were Actual Ultim 4 at 1706hrs, and Sudebo Ultim 3 at 1800hrs.
All four yachts are now racing downwind to round the Scilly Isles, before raising sails to set course for the finish line at the French port of Cherbourg. They are hitting speeds over 30kts, carving quite extreme angles to maintain apparent wind speed as they strive to reach the Scilly Isles, believed to be directly downwind from Fastnet Rock.
Behind these front runners, three supermaxi monohulls, SHK Scallywag, Black Jack 100, and Leopard, are on the prowl. Skippered by David Witt, the leader SHK Scallywag is clocking a speed of 13kts towards Fastnet Rock. While no rounding time is projected yet, it makes for an intriguing watch, setting stage for what promises to be a thrilling day of sailing ahead.
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This story matters only if it helps sailors, owners, clubs, marinas and readers make better decisions afloat or ashore. The new point should be the named event, result, boat, notice, place or change in the report above, not the shine around it. Old Sea Dogs treats press releases and organiser statements as a starting point, then looks for the practical detail: dates, entry rules, berthing, costs, crew impact, safety notes and what readers should check next. What remains uncertain is the usual waterfront mix of weather, final notices, availability, pricing and how a claim holds up once people arrive. Use this piece as a pointer, then check the linked source before making plans.
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