The Volvo Ocean Race inc (orpora la Fastnet Race, new prologue in the 2011-18 rating calendar (Ian Roman)

The Fastnet Race, one of the most venerated and feared tests of the candle, and a new Lisboa-Alicante prologue, will form an intense period prior to the Volvo Ocean Race 2017-18, which will serve as a first duel between the fleet and for the fans, a test of the state of the shape of the teams.

In August 2017, the fleet will meet in Cowes on the island of Wight, United Kingdom, for the 'Zero Stage', which includes the 600 miles of the Fastnet Race. The Rolex Fastnet Race - always unpredictable - will take the teams from Cowes through the Channel of the Mancha, around Land's End and towards the Celtic Sea. After surrounding the Fastnet Rock to the south-west coast of Ireland, they will return to Plymouth. The ships will then compete from Plymouth to Lisbon, Portugal, to complete the Zero Stage. The teams will then face the new prologue race from Lisbon to Alicante, where they will remain until the start of the 2017-18 edition.

French Charles Caudrelier, who patronized the Dongfeng Race Team in 2014-15, commented: "Training for months, alone, so it's very good to be able to do more games as a team before departure. It's very different to compete under pressure regarding training, and it's good to try the ships..." "I have made a few Fastnet Race, some with a lot of wind and others were calm. It is a nice, very fun and interesting tour around the coast, with the effect of the currents. It is a good test and a very dynamic race, with an interesting meteorology."

Some of the Volvo Ocean Race teams have used the Fastnet Race as part of their preparations, but it had never been a mandatory rating test before. The maxi Drum, preparing for the 1988-86 race, suffered a famous turn during the Fastnet and pop star Simon Le Bon was among the regatists who had to be rescued by the British Navy, the Royal Navy.

Richard Mason, a four-edition veteran of the Volvo Ocean Race and now director of the race's operations, said: "It's super important to have made those miles at the right time of the year." "It's going to give the teams some incredible hours in the water, and that's where they learn the most - coming out in the middle of the ocean and facing those weather systems, in a race that no navigator would take lightly."

The existing seven Volvo Ocean 65 are currently undergoing a strict process of remodeling at the Boatyard (Maintenance Centre) facilities in Lisbon, Portugal, and an eighth ship is under construction. The race will start in Alicante in October 2017 and will end eight months later in The Hague (Netherlands) in summer 2018, visiting a total of 11 well-known cities.