Andy & Pelham Etherington on Magic Moments 1661C and Alex Thomas on Woozle Hunter
GBR4950 have entered the Rolex Fastnet Race in Class IRC 4B which starts starts from Cowes, Isle of Wight on Saturday 22nd July.
There were no Sigma 33 finishers in 2021 while Will Sayer and Elmarleen (a Sigma 33c) came 19th in 2019 with Magic Moments in 29th. Elmarleen took 5 days and 3 hours in 2019 - the record time seems to have been set in 2013 by Christophe Affolter and his crew on 4 Deci with a time of 4 days 21 hours 12:46 minutes unless there are faster times prior to 2003. Woozle Hunter, then owned by Ian Ivermee, has previously competed and finished in 2015.
Undoubtedly among the crown jewels of offshore sailing, the Rolex Fastnet Race hits a monumental 50th edition this month. It's a time to honour the race's rich heritage and its transformative influence on ocean racing. Starting from The Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes, yachts will race on a course of approx 695 nautical miles via the Fastnet Rock to the finish line at the western end of the breakwater in Cherbourg. The new finish debuted in the last race in 2021 from the traditional stopping point in Plymouth adding 90 miles to the race and a lot of tidal tactics at the finishing port. No Sigma 33 OODs have completed the longer course as yet.
The fastest monohull finish in 2021 was a Club Swan 125 in 2 days and 8 hours - Skorpois. With an estimated purchasing price of $20 million, you could possibly buy all of the 410 Sigma 33's ever built for this "giant of the seas". Maxi Edmond De Rothschild, an Ultim 32/23 Open Multihull had line honours, finishing in just 1 day and 9 hours.
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