Tonnerre de Breskens Wins Rolex Fastnet IRM Class
by Trish Jenkins 16 Aug 2001 21:31 BST
Photo © Strategic
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One of the two Rolex Chronometers to be awarded for success in the Rolex Fastnet Race has been secured by Piet Vroon on Tonnerre de Bresken, for finishing best overall in the IRM Class. The Dutchman will be awarded his timepiece and the Fastnet Rock Trophy at Friday evening's prizegiving in the Guildhall, Plymouth.
Rolex Fastnet Race Update
The outcome of both the Fastnet Challenge Cup and Fastnet Rock Trophy is still in the balance today but, Piet Vroon's Lutra 52 Tonnerre de Breskens from the Netherlands remains at the top of the league tables overall in both IRM and IRC classes.
After his arrival, Vroon said: "I have been a member of the RORC for a long time and done countless races including 20 Fastnets. We have raced a lot in the UK before and been class champion for a number of years, but if we win this year's Rolex Fastnet Race, it will be for the first time. The weather has suited us this year as this is a good upwind boat. We have a multinational crew with Peter Bowker from the US navigating as well as crew from Australia, Belgium, Holland and UK. It will be really nice to win as it is unlikely it will ever happen again. We have been second in class before and third but we've never won".
First across the line in Class IRC 1 class was Courrier Nord, the French IMX40 which finished this morning. To date, 59 yachts have completed the 608nm course and the remainder of the 211 strong fleet are making steady progress towards the finish line, hoping to make Friday's prizegiving
ceremony at Plymouth's Guildhall.
With only three yachts left to round, the RORC team who have been based at the Fastnet Rock since Sunday, will hand over to the race committee vessel this afternoon. The team will remain on station until the last boats have safely passed.
Amongst the double handed entries, Lorna Graham and Jo Burchell on Criterion are fourth overall in Class IRC2 at present. Graham reported: "We have 17 miles to go to reach the Lizard, the wind is very up and down and we are surfing and rolling. We are driving the boat fast and have been pushing like mad since rounding the Fastnet Rock."
Fastnet veteran Denis Doyle crossed the line this morning with his classic Frers-designed Moonduster and has now completed 20 Fastnet races. Joining the ranks of Fastnet veterans is Ken Newman of Simply the Best, who has taken part in 22 Fastnet race, the most of all competitors.
Janet Grosvenor, Racing Manager for the Royal Ocean Racing Club, said: "This is always the time in a long distance offshore race when the suspense is greatest on the dockside and amongst the remaining fleet. It is still not possible to predict who will be awarded the top trophies and Rolex
timepieces, as there is always the chance of a late arrival winning on corrected time.
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