With no yacht left on the course capable of bettering the corrected time posted by Leon, the French yacht has been declared overall winner of the centenary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race. Sailed double-handed, Alexis Loison and Jean Pierre Kelbert raced the 10.45 metre / 34 foot JPK 10.50 to victory against a record-breaking fleet of outstanding pedigree and talent. Winning this legendary race once is an exceptional achievement, doing so twice is beyond the wildest dreams and expectations of even the most skilled and gifted of sailors.
Alexis Loison has done just that, previously winning in 2013 sailing with his father Pascal. Joining a band of six other skippers to have won on more than one occasion, Loisin’s accomplishment is all the more remarkable given that on both occasions he has done so double-handed. It was by no means a simple task. Not only did the pair outwit the opposition, the majority of whom were fully crewed, their strategy, decision-making and execution overcame the myriad of complexity that makes up the 695nm Rolex Fastnet Race course. Organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club, the race has been partnered by Rolex since 2001. The quarter-century partnership represents a significant element within the brand’s wider relationship with yachting which began almost 70 years ago. Discover more https://on.rolex.com/4lN9DQi
Rolex celebrates human achievement, recognizing the journey marked by milestones and emotions that culminates in defining moments – determined by a path followed, not just a trophy. Since the late 1950s, Rolex has championed the perseverance and resilience in sailing across all its forms – from pioneering feats of exploration to legendary offshore races, prestigious yacht clubs and its most successful sailors. Today, Rolex supports the innovative future of sailing through its Title Partnership of the Rolex SailGP Championship, the world’s leading sailing series where the best sailors compete on identical supercharged F50 foiling catamarans on some of the world’s most famous stretches of water. Furthermore, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events, from the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. Rolex also partners institutions that share the brand’s enduring commitment to sailing, including the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, New York Yacht Club, Royal Yacht Squadron, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Royal Malta Yacht Club. Integral to this relationship are the towering figures in the sport, and Rolex honours their perpetual determination in the pursuit of excellence. From groundbreaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester to modern-day sailors who embody adaptability, teamwork and precision, its family of Testimonees includes legends Paul Cayard and Robert Scheidt, the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie, and heroes at the heart of the SailGP Championship, Hannah Mills, Tom Slingsby and Martine Grael.
