CHERBOURG-EN-CONTENTIN, 29 July 2025: Remon Vos’ RP100 Black Jack 100, skippered by Tristan Le Brun, has taken Monohull Line Honours in the centenary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race. The sleek 100-footer and her 19 crew crossed the finish line of the 695 mile course not long after midnight in a time of 02 Days 12 Hrs 31 Mins 28 Secs.
Victory was never certain until Black Jack 100 had crossed the finish line in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. They were pushed all the way by their arch rivals on SHK Scallywag, who crossed the line 58 minutes later, closely followed by Leopard 3 just five minutes further back. These three 100-foot giants were all vying for the glory of taking line honours in the 100th year of this famous race.
“It feels like relief,” smiled Le Brun as he stepped ashore. “We were the outsiders and challengers because we were facing some very experienced and established teams and we have been growing our team for just a year and a half. We trained very hard and meticulously to arrive here in good shape, but to win here is beyond our expectations.”
Remon Vos only bought Black Jack a year ago but has enjoyed almost instant success with the boat. Last year Vos, Le Brun and the crew nearly took line honours in the Rolex Middle Sea Race only to be pipped to the post by Scallywag on that occasion. “They beat us by 20 minutes in the last part of the race,” he said.
“They had a great setup, they were faster than us, and this time we were a little faster. There are some beautiful boats in this race, very similar, very competitive. Having three boats of similar speed we enjoy the close competition – it makes you better and sharper. We won this time. You need a bit of luck, you need the right people and the right strategy.”
At one point on the long upwind race to the Fastnet Rock, Scallywag and Black Jack engaged a boat-on-boat tacking duel, a ‘Rolex Fastnet Match Race’. Scallywag’s navigator, Will Oxley, explained the importance of that strange boxing match. “We knew they were going to be quick downwind. And so if we if we gave them any room and they got ahead of us on the way out to the Rock then they would just scoot away.
“To give ourselves a chance, we needed to be ahead of them at least to the Rock. We managed to achieve that but, yeah, there was quite a bit of tacking going on. Once they got around the Rock they hoisted their A2 and they were just faster and deeper downwind.”
For all the news, tracking, photos and latest information, please go to: www.rolexfastnetrace.com
How to follow the Rolex Fastnet Race HERE
Race Tracker: https://www.rolexfastnetrace.com/en/tracking
ENDS/…. James Boyd/RORC
@RoyalOceanRacingClub
#RORCRacing
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