Ludde Ingvall’s Australian super maxi CQS is currently battling for second place on line honours amongst the monohulls, in the Rolex Fastnet Race. Late today Ludde’s team overtook the 115 foot Nikata, but all day the two boats have been sailing as if attached by elastic.
Crew member Michael Rummel commented, “it’s been quite an eventful day. We eventually caught up and passed Nikata, but not before a halyard lock broke, and Alan had to go up the mast and fix it, which slowed us down.
“Earlier in the day we had got frustratingly close to Nikata, but then with our lock problem they got away again. Now we are ahead of them. We also lost a halyard, and the A1 went in the water, but we have retrieved it, and Alan is now up the mast again trying to replace the halyard.”
Also close to CQS and Nikata is the IMOCA 60 SMA, which is sailing a very clever race, while leading the monohulls is Rambler 88.
CQS is now sailing in an 11 to 12 knot north westerly breeze, but they are expecting a wind shift soon, that will allow them to point straight at the Fastnet Rock. The sky has cleared and they are expecting good conditions for the rest of the run to the Rock.
After rounding the famous landmark off the south west coast of Ireland, they will turn for the run back to the finish in Plymouth. The estimated time for CQS to finish is approximately 18:00 on Wednesday.