Following 22 consecutive line honours and achieving 6 course records, the Esimit Sailing Team will come face-to-face to the greatest challenge since the christening of the Esimit Europa 2 yacht in 2010, which is crossing the finish line as the first monohull at world’s renown Rolex Fastnet Race – Prior to 608 nautical mile biennial offshore race the 30-meter European flagged maxi yacht Esimit Europa 2 will participate in three Big Boat Series races within the famous Cowes Week – Ed Wright, European and World Finn Class Champion, joining the 10-nationalities all-star crew on a training day, Friday, 9. August

Esimit Europa sailing yacht ©Oskar Kihlborg

The toughest, most dangerous, exhaustive yet highly reputable are common expressions associated with the 608 nautical mile (1,126 kilometres) race from Cowes to Plymouth rounding the Fastnet rock, passing the southern tip of Ireland – the Rolex Fastnet Race. 2013 marks the 45^th edition of the biennial race, which definitely stands as one of the biggest challenges in each sailor’s career. The race starting on Sunday 11. August at 13:00 CEST, will see the record fleet of 350 yachts from over 20 countries and 5 continents.

For the Esimit Sailing Team, composed of all-star sailors coming from 10 different European countries, participation at the Rolex Fastnet Race will mark their 4^th performance of the season, after taking line honours at Kieler Woche (Germany), ÅF Offshore Race (Sweden) and after the upcoming Cowes Week. Legendary Jochen Schümann, skipper of Esimit Europa 2, tackled the race twice in the 1990’s and is fully aware of Fastnet’s numerous risks, which in its lengthy history caused many capsizes, breaks and retirements. He confirmed the importance of yacht’s top condition while staying 100-percent focused on the entire course. For Schümann, 3-times Olympic Champion and twice America’s Cup winner, the goal is to cross the finish line as the first monohull yacht and, if the conditions are right, break the current monohull course record of impressive 42 hours and 39 minutes set by Abu Dhabi VO70 in 2011. In the upcoming edition both Abu Dhabi VO70 and two-time line honours winner and former race record holder (2007, 2009) 100ft ICAP Leopard will be at the starting line.

For Esimit Europa 2 will racing at Cowes Week, one of the UK’s longest running (1826) and most successful sporting events with over 1,000 boats participating, therefore serve as a great opportunity for last adjustments to the yacht before the start of the Rolex Fastnet Race. At the media event in occasion of Cowes Week on 9. August Ed Wright, European and World Finn Class Champion, winner of ISAF World Cup Series, nominee for the ISAF Rolex World Sailor Award and British Olympic Association’s Athlete of the Year, will join the Esimit Sailing Team during its training.