Black Jack 100, owned by Yacht Club de Monaco member Remon Vos and helmed by Tristan Le Brun (member of YCM’s Captains Club), was first to cross the finish line of the 51st Rolex Fastnet Race Tuesday 29 July at 00:21 in Cherbourg. The Maxi monohull took 2 days 12 hours 31 minutes 21 seconds to claim the Erivale Trophy awarded to the winner in real time in the monohull category.
Victory was secured on the approach to rounding the Fastnet Rock at the end of an intense duel with SHK Scallywag. The 100-footers had battled for hours in a series of tactical tacks, sometimes with less than two boat lengths between them. The crew on Black Jack 100 took advantage of rough conditions off the rock, making three quick sail changes from jib to J0 then A2 spinnaker to pull away in the 20-plus knot wind. For Remon Vos, this win feels like revenge against SHK Scallywag: “Last year they beat us by 20 minutes in the Middle Sea Race. This time we were a little faster. You need a good boat, strategy and a little luck. We were the outsiders against some very established teams,” said Tristan Le Brun. Until the last few miles, nothing was certain. The strong Alderney Race current allowed their pursuers to make up a lot of ground, putting Black Jack 100 under pressure. “Everybody was closing in on us,” recounts Tristan. “With Max Deckers, we spent two hours refining our route in the dark very close to the land. A delicate manoeuvre but decisive. Winning today, after just a year and a half working together, exceeds our expectations”. This time it was SHK Scallywag crossing the finish behind at 01:19, followed five minutes later at 01:24 by another YCM member’s boat, Joost Schuijff’s Leopard 3, which completes the Monohull Line Honours podium. In the wake of this victory, Black Jack 100 will soon be setting sail again for Palermo, Sicily, where the team will be competing in the 20th Palermo-Montecarlo, organised by Circolo della Vela Sicilia in collaboration with the Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Costa Smeralda. The start is on Tuesday 19 August at 11:55 off Mondello.
Meanwhile, the race continues for other Yacht Club de Monaco teams, including those racing in the Admiral’s Cup. This legendary event, re-launched in 2025 after a two-decade absence combines a Channel Race (coefficient 2), six inshore races in the Solent, and the Rolex Fastnet Race. The latter, being a coefficient 3 race, could be a game-changer. In AC Class 2, Jolt 6 skippered by YCM vice-president Pierre Casiraghi took the lead early on in the race. Currently in 2nd on the approach to Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, Jolt 6 is expected mid-evening as is Jolt 3 entered in AC Class 1 and helmed by Peter Harrison, who should arrive a little earlier around 20:00. Every minute will be decisive in trying to secure the team victory against
At the helm of his Pulsar 50 Rayon Vert, YCM member Oren Nataf continues his race in the multihull category, alongside Vincent Riou, and is expected to finish this evening. Giovanni Lombardi Stronati, also competing in the Admiral’s Cup but under the Italian flag, has two boats entered in two classes. Django WR51 and Django JPK are expected this evening or early hours of Wednesday 30 July. Finally, Didier Schouten, a young sailor from YCM’s Sports Section is competing in one of his first major cross-Channel races. Aboard Ocean Breeze, he is expected in Cherbourg in the early hours of 30 July, ensuring the succession of new talent as he continues to discover the thrills of ocean racing.
While the first line honours finishers continue to light up the Cherbourg waters this evening, the history of this 51st Rolex Fastnet Race is far from being written. The final ranking will be determined in corrected time according to IRC rules. With the gaps so narrow, anything is possible until the last competitors arrive. In short, despite the spectacular arrivals during the night, the overall ranking is dependent on the corrected time rating calculations. The Fastnet lives up to its reputation for fairness: nothing is confirmed until the last boat returns.
