1000 milles de Calais : the 60 footers have their Fastnet

>> The Fastnet, a legendary destination
Situated at the south-westerly tip of Ireland, the Fastnet lighthouse is a mythical point of passage in the history of ocean racing. The reason for this is that for nearly a century the sailors from England, France or elsewhere that have not rounded the famous rock are few and far between.
It was in 1925 that the first Fastnet Race was created : a regatta of 605 miles between Cowes, the Fastnet lighthouse and Plymouth, it has today become a mythical race. Organised every other year by the RORC, the Fastnet Race has figured in the Admiral's Cup programme and became famous for rather a sad reason in 1979, a tragic edition where 15 sailors disappeared during a terrible storm.
It also gave the Fastnet its reputation : a difficult race in the Irish Sea where the passage of depressions is frequent and where the sea can really get up during the worst days, even during summer. Inspired by the Fastnet Race, numerous races bound for the Fastnet have been organised from France.

>> The 1000 milles de Calais : 1st event in the IMOCA season
In 2004, a year when the 150th anniversary of the construction of the Irish lighthouse will be celebrated, Royale Production adds a new dimension to the formula by proposing a start from Calais, for a round-figured course of : 1000 miles.
This return trip between the Opal coast and the Fastnet opens what is likely to be a nerve-jangling start to the 2004 season for the Open 60 footers, prior to the single-handed Everest that is the Vendée Globe.
Here it is to be a crewed race with five sailors onboard. The event is officially inscribed in the IMOCA calendar, counting as a coefficient 1 in the 2004 ranking.

>> 1000 milles : a simple concept for a technical course
On Sunday 9 May at 1500 GMT, the monohulls will set off from in front of the Blanc Nez headland from where they will race a coastal course along the French coast, as far as Boulogne, before having free rein to escape the Channel. Next will be the struggle across the Irish Sea with its share of depressions which can be still prove very active in springtime. The competitors should then leave the Fastnet rock to STARBOARD before dropping back down to the course marker in Dover, and the finish line in Calais. Depending on the weather conditions, the crews should spend between four and six days at sea, for a regatta which promises to be technical, tactical and perhaps harsh.

>> The centenary of the Entente Cordiale
The " 1000 milles de Calais " comes within the framework of events in 2004 that mark the centenary of the Entente Cordiale between France and England. As a result there will be two minesweepers from the French and English Navy to get the start of the race underway on Sunday 9 May below the cliffs of the Cap Blanc Nez.

>> The Dover-Calais record
As the competitors battle through the last few miles of the race they will be able to have a go at the Dover-Calais record set in the Calais Round Britain Race 2003 by a monohull. The reference time has been held since 24 July 2003 by OBJECTIF 3 (Charles Hedrich) in 1h 18min 50s, at an average speed of 14.62 knots. If it is beaten a prize is intended for the new record holder.

>> The exhibition regattas
The Open 60 footers are boats that are made for ocean racing… which makes them difficult to observe other than when they are quayside. To remedy that, two days of exhibition regattas (outside the ranking) will be organised off Calais on 7 and 8 May … an opportunity for the public to see these future round the world sailors on the water and for the skippers to take partners, journalists and VIPs aboard.

>> Management and Race Committee
The organising body is the Royale Production society, with the participation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Calais. Under the aegis of the Fédération Française de Voile (French Sailing Federation), the race management is assured by Mr Philippe Facque (Royale Production). The Race Committee is assured by the Union Nationale de la Course au Large (National Union of Ocean Racing), assisted in operations at the start and finish by the Calais Yacht Club.

Director of the Race Committee : Sylvie VIANT

>> Prizes
The 1000 milles de Calais will award prizes to the first 6 home :

1st : 12 600 Euros
2nd : 8 400 Euros
3rd : 5600 Euros
4th : 4 200 Euros
5th : 2 800 Euros
6th : 1 400 Euros

>> The Fastnet 55 metres and soon 150 years old

Characteristics :
Situation : Ireland - Province of Cork, 51° 23' N - 9° 36'W
First construction : 1854
Height of the tower : 55 metres

History :
Called " Carrig Aonor " : isolated rock in gaelic, the Fastnet was also renamed "the tears of Ireland " by the emigrants leaving their native land.
Located 7 km from the coast of Cape Clear, the Fastnet lighthouse is the biggest lighthouse in Ireland.
The first building (dating from 1854 and built on the top of the rock) was damaged and then abandoned after a violent storm. The construction of a new lighthouse, on the lower part of the rock, built in 1904, required over two thousand blocks of Cornish granite, including some which weighed over 5 tonnes. The current lighthouse is made up of 8 floors and reaches a height of around 55 m.