TeamSnell Successfully Completes the RORC Rolex 2013 Fastnet,the World’s Greatest Offshore Race
September 4, 2013 by Ivan Snell
At 14:42 pm on Thursday 15th of August 2013 TeamSnell Racing, sailing its Beneteau 40.7, Parallel Blue, crossed the finish line of the 2013 RORC Rolex Fastnet Race, arguably some would say the ‘worlds greatest offshore yacht race’ (Daily Telegraph, 13 August 2013), off the iconic Plymouth lighthouse located on the Plymouth breakwater. In doing so, TeamSnell Racing completed 608 nautical miles in 4 days, 1 hour and 32 minutes and the yacht race which the organisers, the Royal Offshore Racing Club (RORC), describe as a ‘challenge second to none’.
The Fastnet yacht race starts off the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes taking yachts – this year a record breaking number close to 350 – out of the Solent along the South of England to Lands End before they must cross the Celtic (Irish) Sea which can throw up some of the worst storm conditions anywhere in the world as it did in the 1979 Fastnet tragedy claiming the lives of 18 (15 yachtsmen and 3 rescuers). Once the yachts round the Fastnet Rock it is a race back to the finish at Plymouth.
Ever since the inaugural race in 1925 the challenge of the course remains strong for each yachtsman. Physically, emotionally and mentally exerting, the competitors race day and night, usually rotating active and resting crew through a watch system, living aboard in cramped, damp accommodation.
From 1925 to 2013 the Fastnet continues to call to yachtsmen around the world including Ivan Snell and TeamSnell Racing. “it is the ultimate test of endurance and the ensuing sense of accomplishment which enticed me back this year” said Snell Consultancy Director and the TeamSnell Racing skipper after the race in the RORC Fastnet Race village.
This year was particularly challenging for TeamSnell and navigator Richard ‘Dickie’ Clarke due to the inclusion for the first time of ‘Traffic Separation Schemes’ (TSS) which all the fleet had to navigate their way around. Richard did a great job navigating TeamSnell safely around Lands End and past the Sicily Isles without infringing the adjacent TSS area which would have meant an extremely costly ten hour penalty for TeamSnell. Unfortunately not even he was able to organise for an arrival at the majestic Fastnet Rock in daylight and the team sailed around at 2 am on Wednesday morning in the dark and extremely poor visibility.
Ivan Snell continued ‘it has been an amazing year campaign for our international Anglo-Canadian-Dutch crew. We achieved everything which we set out to achieve with a mid-fleet result, 187th out of 287 yachts that finished, no breakages or damage to our yacht or crew loss or injury. You have to remember this was all achieved with a scratch crew that had never sailed together before the first training week end in April this year and also, all of whom had very different levels of offshore racing experience and abilities. It is a credit to everyone that took part, they should all be extremely proud of what they have individually and collectively achieved’. Ivan concluded ‘our successful campaign this year is also testament, in at least a small part, to the rigorous planning, strong leadership and can do attitude of the TeamSnell Racing sponsors, The Snell Consultancy. These are some of the fundamental skills that are also needed for our high quality, IT project delivery to our international client base’.
Read more about the RORC Rolex Fastnet 2013
Read more about the Snell Consultancy corporate sailing