Battle of 100-footers in 100th Fastnet: BlackJack wins match race for monohull line honours

A trio of 100-footer monohulls set off for the 100th anniversary edition of the Rolex Fastnet Race, with line honours contenders BlackJack 100 and SHK-Scallywag match racing their way to Ireland and back.

The monohull line honours winner of the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race is BlackJack 100, finishing the 695-mile race at 0021 (BST), early on Tuesday 29 July after 2d 12h 31m of racing.

Three 100-footer monohulls joined a record fleet for the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race, adding not only an added element of spectacle to the packed IRC Super Zero startline in Cowes, but also bringing some long-standing rivalries that are more often fought out on the Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race to the biennial British classic.

Early monohull leaders

It was Hong-Kong based SHK-Scallywag, skippered by David Witt, which took the early lead out of the Solent. The veteran Leopard 3 initially stuck closely to the Hong Kong entry, and passing Portland Bill this pairing were side by side.

However, by the Lizard BlackJack100, owned by Remon Vos, had pulled into a close second and set up a duel which continued right across the Irish Sea, the two yachts matching each other tack for tack all the way to the Rock.

BlackJack skipper Tristan Le Brun explained on the dock after racing that the two boats were covering each other so closely, they were using the dirty air generated by the enormous five-spreader rig to try and stall their opponent as both boats fought for the favoured inside line. The 19-man crew were also maintaining constant tacking duels and sail changes.

BlackJack wins line honours

SHK-Scallywag was the first monohull around the Rock, rounding at 23:00 on Sunday 27 July, with BlackJack just 7 minutes behind and Leopard in hot pursuit, just 9 minutes further.

On the long run back the lead pair again matched alongside each other. But after gybing towards the Scillies TSS, BlackJack managed to gain a slight advantage on the reach east, which they extended to 20 miles approaching the Channel Isles.

The pair split at Alderney, BlackJack going south, and adding manoeuvres to their final miles but picking up favourable tide. Le Brun said they picked up around 6 knots of favourable tide, which was coming from astern so strongly it affected the handling of the yacht.

Meanwhile SHK-Scallywag took a straight line north, closing the gap to around 7 miles. But in a repeat of the Ultims’ battle for multihull line honours, it wasn’t quite enough, and BlackJack took the win. We’ll have a full interview with skipper Le Brun tomorrow.

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