Eve takes on 'The Everest' of sailing the Rolex Fastnet

• NEWS
• 24 Jul, 2023 04:27:00 PM

Eve takes on 'The Everest' of sailing the Rolex Fastnet

CYCA Member Robert Griffiths this weekend took part in the start of the Fastnet Cup Challenge aboard Swan 65 Eve, sailing from Cowes at 1300hrs BST on 22 July.

Weather was already turning nasty, as the 430 strong fleet lined up a the startline. Meanwhile along the Solent's foggy shoreline, the crowds were packed six deep with spectators braving the conditions to witness the greatest assortment of offshore yacht racing hardware ever assembled.

With 30-35 knots blowing over the staggered start, as the journey out of the Solent began rain began and further up on =the English channel, wind gusts grew to 45-48 knots. There were 110 retirements in the first 48 hours but Eve, and her trusty crew presses on. Eve has sailed four Rolex Sydney Hobarts, won her division on the 2017 Sydney to Noumea and has sailed halfway around the world in 2022 to come and compete for the Fastnet 2023.

Steve Capell and Fraser Welch are both very keen sailors and completely in love with this legendary ketch.

They have done some solid preparation with Ben Roulant, making sure that the boat and the crew from all around the world were provisioned for a taxing 5-6 days at sea.

“We intend to be training really hard especially in the lead up to the race,” said Steve Capell. “We’ve sailed a lot of miles onboard Eve over the past few years and know that Eve can perform really well in these sorts of races especially if we get heavy conditions,” he said.

CYCA Member Bob Griffiths said before the race “I have sailed since I was aged ten, in many boats including dinghies, catamarans and yachts. I am new to ocean racing and hope this year to sail in both the Rolex Fastnet and Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races.”

Teammate Richard Agnew said he was was also feeling positive before the start of the race.

“I started sailing in my early teens, competing in club and state/national dinghy sailing progressing to offshore racing including being a member of winning crews. I crewed as a grinder and trimmer in a Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, sailed the southern south Atlantic delivering a yacht for refit from Ushsaia, Argentina via the Falkland Islands onto Urugua, then onto Brazil. Now I'm looking forward, to northern hemisphere racing, including in the famed Rolex Fasnet yacht race,” said Richard Agnew.

Follow Eve's journey on Instagram or on Eve's website tracker