Fastnet Race

The Rolex Fastnet Race is the biennial offshore classic organized by the Royal Ocean Racing Club since 1925, from Cowes around the Fastnet Rock off Ireland to a finish that moved to Cherbourg in 2021, now about 695 miles. The 1979 race, struck by a Force 10 storm that killed 15 sailors, drove a generation of reform in yacht stability rules and the Offshore Special Regulations. It is one of the largest offshore races in the world, with entries capped well above 400 boats.