Builder and skipper power Leon to Fastnet triumph in centenary race
Alexis Loison and Jean-Pierre Kelbert were on Thursday crowned overall winners of the centennial Rolex Fastnet Race aboard JPK 1050 Leon, with boat builder Kelbert helping steer his creation to success in the 100th year of the Royal Ocean Racing Club's offshore classic.
The French double-handed duo secured the Fastnet Challenge Cup after beating a record field of 444 boats ranging from 30ft (9.14 metre) keelboats to giant 105ft (32m) Ultim foiling trimarans on the 695 nautical mile course.
"We had a very good boat," said Loison. "I was racing with Jean-Pierre, the builder of the JPK boats, which are now very well-known on the international offshore racing scene, and we had a great time. We really fought hard."
Loison's victory makes him one of the rare sailors to win the Rolex Fastnet Race twice. He first claimed the prize in 2013 alongside his father Pascal, when they became the first double-handed crew to beat all fully-crewed boats to offshore racing's biggest prize.
"It's really the same feeling as 12 years ago. An unexpected victory, but with just as much joy. Arriving in my home city, Cherbourg, the city of my heart," Loison said.
French double-handed teams swept the podium, with Lann Ael 3 second and Amarris third. Loison noted the common thread, saying: "It's no coincidence that there are Figaro sailors on board each of the top three ... All of us have been through the best offshore racing school in the world, the Figaro."
Often called the 'Tour de France of sailing,' the Figaro circuit is France's premier offshore racing school and a renowned proving ground for elite sailors.
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Its signature event, the Solitaire du Figaro, is a gruelling solo multi-stage race sailed in identical 32ft (9.75m) boats, demanding precision navigation, stamina, and tactical brilliance.
Many of the world's top offshore racers — including Vendee Globe winners and Fastnet champions — cut their teeth in the Figaro.
Kelbert, whose JPK boats have dominated offshore competition for over a decade, praised their 34ft (10.36m) vessel's performance, saying: "Its reaching performance is just amazing because with this powerful hull you can sail higher angles with the big kite even in 25 knots of wind. It's so fast, it's like a rocket."
Loison has already confirmed his return for 2027, the 40-year-old declaring the Rolex Fastnet Race is in his blood. REUTERS
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