Yesterday at 12.45 local time (GMT) the Class 40 Lamotte Module-Création crossed the start line of the Rolex Fastnet Race 2019.  This mythical biennial English race is this year celebrating its 48th edition with 388 sailing boats including 19 Class 40s crossing the starting line at Cowes on the Isle of Wight.  

For this race the skipper Luke Berry has chosen a first-rate crew consisting of Corentin Douget, Frédéric Denis and Arnaud Berland.  Theses sailors with complementary profiles should be a perfect fit in order to try and attain their ambition: victory in their category.  All hands on deck for the Fastnet!  

 

 

On board the Class 40 Lamotte Module-Création is Corentin Douget, an experienced Figaro sailor, recently back from the 10th edition of the Solitaire du Figaro where he finished in 4th place.  In 2005 he also won the Mini Transat in  Salvador de Bahia, Brazil.  Luke is counting on the solid experience of this off-shore sailing champion on this return trip to and from Ireland.  

Frédéric Denis, another winner of the Mini Transat, but 10 years later in 2015, an engineer by profession is also in the team.  Fred has recently installed all the electronic and computer systems on the Imoca  Arkea Paprek.  This is great expertise and skill set to have on board for Luke and the Class 40.  Also Fred knows the boat well having competed with Luke in the Rorc Caribbean 600 at the beginning of the season.  

And finally Arnaud Berland, a long time friend of Luke’s completes this crack team.  A sheet specialist, Arnaud also know the Class 40 Lamotte Module-Création well as not only was he part of the crew sailing in the RC600 but he re-did all the sailing and standing rigging on the boat this winter. 

 

 

 

After the Royal Yacht Squadron canon fired  the signal for the start of the race, Luke and his team set off for a round trip of 605 miles between Cowes and Plymouth via the Fastnet rock.  A course from the English Channel and then onto the Irish Sea with variable weather conditions forecast - so providing opportunities for everyone.  

"We will be leaving with light south-easterly winds behind us in the Solent, increasing slightly in the afternoon until evening.  Then quite a complicated first night to follow with very little wind south of Start Point, so we need to be alert and make the most of whatever wind there is in order to get out of that zone and on to catch the wind.  Following that we should have a good flow of south-westerly that should be set in for most of the race until Tuesday when there will be fewer strategic choices to make.  Our work will be that of maintaining good speed and keeping on track in order to make a difference against our opponents.  If everything goes to plan we should arrive around Tuesday lunchtime.  However let’s remember that these are sailing boats, we know when we leave but we don’t know exactly when we return!” explained Corentin the evening before the start of the race. 

 

Ready and motivated our sailors are keen to get going and battle it out! 

GO Lamotte Module-Création, may the force be with you! 

 

Don’t forget: Rendez-vous in a few days in Plymouth for the arrival of our team

 

To follow the Class 40 Lamotte Module-Création in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2019 on rolexfastnetrace.com  or on the App YB tracking