Second consecutive victory for the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild in the Rolex Fastnet Race
Two years ago, just a few months after their arrival in the midst of the Gitana Team, Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas, together with their four crew, treated themselves to their first major victory by winning the Rolex Fastnet Race. The six sailors also made their mark in the event by setting a new course record of 1 day 4 hours and a few minutes… The last winners of the 100% English edition when the finish was decided in Plymouth yesterday evening at 20:25 UTC, they became the first team to add their names to the winners list in a Fastnet’ rounding off in French waters off Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. After 1 day 9 hours 15 mins and 54 seconds of racing where they ruled supreme and crossed the finish with a lead of more than 10 hours ahead of their closest rival, the men of Gitana Team take their second consecutive victory in this prestigious Anglo-Saxon race.
The race: “intense, rapid and victorious” 

Franck Cammas: “The start was very intense! With a great many dangers to deal with all at the same time amidst the yachties, the competitors, the cargo ships and the ferries… not to mention the strong wind — in excess of 25 knots — which really spiced up the start of the race. We were happy to come out of the Solent unscathed and the fact that we were leading the way was even better. The whole crew worked very well and the quality of our manœuvres, especially in the first few miles where we had to link together a series of tacks in some very tight spaces, was decisive. Putting in a tack on a boat like the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is never easy, but today the crew’s knowledge of this element was clearly an asset.” 

Charles Caudrelier: “We were really happy with this race and our result of course, but also the way in which we took the win. Two years ago, we won the Rolex Fastnet Race and it went right to the wire against Macif. This year, it’s very different with a lead of more than 120 miles over our rivals as we crossed the finish line and even more than that ultimately as they had to battle with very light winds throughout the night and were punching tide just a few miles off Cherbourg, so they didn’t make it in until the early hours, nearly 10 hours after us. We handed in a very good paper!” 

The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild: “A fantastic boat!” 

Charles Caudrelier: “The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild is a fantastic boat! Thanks to the work carried out by the whole team, she’s raised her game even more. That augurs well going forward as there are some new boats joining the fray so it’s important to continue with our developments. You can never afford to stop that process. With the competition becoming increasingly intense, the fight will get harder and harder in future and we have no intention of resting on our laurels.”  The crew: “This is a solid group and you sense that out on the water” 

Franck Cammas: “The boat has progressed and so too has the crew! Everyone put in a massive effort aboard. Charles and Erwan traced out a very fine trajectory and ensured we were always well placed tactically. All six of us have been sailing together for the past two years and our recent Jules Verne Trophy attempts, last winter, enabled us to gain a greater understanding of one another and gain in confidence. You can sense that out on the water.”   

The double and the conditions that coloured victory: “Inevitably, I’m happy with the result, but also the way we got there” 

Franck Cammas : “We managed to steal a march and take control upon exiting the Solent thanks to managing the numerous tack changes very well. After that, with the Channel crossing to Aurigny and the Channel Islands, we pulled off a great tactical move to stay south of our rivals and extended our lead to over 20 nautical miles whilst beating up to the Fastnet. Not only did we have a slightly different breeze than them, but we also knew that the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild would be very quick on that point of sail.” 

Charles Caudrelier : “It was a race where it was important to be in front! We knew that from the get-go because the wind was rolling away to the East on the various grib files so the faster we were, the more likely it was that we’d be able to hang onto the wind right the way to the finish. The situation our rivals experienced on the other Ultimes last night is exactly what we’d feared for ourselves. A dying breeze, punching tide in an area that is infamous for its very strong currents.”   

The Maxi Edmond de Rothschild’s race time 

- Start in Cowes – Sunday 8 August at 11:10 UTC 

- Passage around Fastnet – Monday 9 August at 07:56’56’’ UTC after 20 hours 46 minutes and 56 seconds of racing 

- Finish in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin – Monday 9 August at 20:24’54’’ UTC after 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 54 seconds of racing  Rolex Fastnet Race 2021 –

Multihull ranking 

1. Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, finished on Monday 9 August at 20:24’54’’ UTC after 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 54 seconds of racing

2. Actual Leader, finished on Tuesday 10 August at 05:51’22’’ UTC after 1 day 18 hours 41 minutes and 22 second of racing

3. Sodebo, finished on Tuesday 10 August at 07:26’36’’ UTC after 1 day 20 hours 16 minutes and 36 seconds of racing 

The crew on the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild 

- Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier, skippers 

- David Boileau, Erwan Israël, Morgan Lagravière, Yann Riou 

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