Pace, skippered by Johnny Vincent, claimed monohull line honours in the prestigious offshore race — crossing the finish line off Cowes at 4.17am on Sunday (August 16), after almost a week at sea.
The yacht completed the 1,805-nautical-mile course in six days, 14hrs 47mins 31sec, during the event’s 50th anniversary edition.
For Jules, a Volvo Ocean Race winner and one of Britain’s most experienced navigators, the success carried extra meaning as it marked his first complete Round Britain and Ireland Race — and brought him home to the Isle of Wight.
The winning boat Pace (Image: Craig Nutter)
The race, which started from the Royal Yacht Squadron line in Cowes on August 9, attracted a fleet of 33 boats and demanded a blend of speed, strategy and endurance around the coasts of Britain and Ireland.
As navigator, Jules, of Cowes, was responsible for finding the quickest route, while adapting to changing weather and sea conditions throughout the epic challenge.
“When you are racing around Britain, you are effectively turning right at every corner,” said Jules.
“You combine that with the weather and keep the boat at its fastest and most efficient angle.
“If you minimise the distance and sail faster for a shorter distance, you will do better.”
Jules said there were chances throughout the race to make gains, by reading weather systems correctly and putting the powerful Volvo 70 in more favourable conditions.
“There were opportunities to push hard when it was easy to push hard, and to gain from a wind shift, a wind bend or something in the forecast,” he explained.
“We tried to do that all the way around the course.”
Although Pace’s tracker showed the boat sailed 2,113 nautical miles, Jules explained that the fastest route is not always the most direct.
“In a corrected time race, the boats have different speeds and characteristics,” Jules said.
“We were in the North Sea, while other boats were still in the North Atlantic. You have to play the weather hand you are dealt and do what is right for your boat.”
One of the decisive phases came off Ireland’s west coast, where Pace thrived in conditions that suited the Juan Kouyoumdjian-designed yacht.
The crew recorded a 486-nautical-mile run in 24 hours and hit speeds of up to 27 knots.
“The crew were incredibly sharp at getting the right sails up and down, then making the small angle changes needed to keep the boat fully on pace,” said Jules.
The final stage brought further challenges, including shipping lanes, wind farms and exclusion zones, before a favourable tide carried Pace home.