Ready for battle: Musto kit the armour of choice for offshore titans in the 50th Rolex Fastnet Race

by Musto 19 Jul 14:05 UTC 22 July 2023

Armel Le Cléac'h and Charlie Dalin talk about their Musto kit ahead of the Rolex Fastnet Race © Musto

With just four days to go until the record-sized Rolex Fastnet Race fleet flocks to Cowes, Isle of Wight, for the 50th edition of the multi-class sprint to Fastnet Rock and down to Cherbourg, pro sailors and Musto Ambassadors, Armel Le Cléac'h and Charlie Dalin, praise technical clothing brand, Musto, as the crux of their kit bags.

"I admit, my boat will probably only take one day to finish," Armel says with a grin. "We don't need much kit for that - just a few key Musto favourites for the crew. LPX and MPX mostly - very lightweight and good for maneuverability. We have the best boat speed of the whole fleet, so we are quite lucky and will hopefully finish quickly."

An offshore titan, this will be the fourth Fastnet attempt for former Vendée Globe winner, Le Cléac'h. Taking on the tides with his battleship Ultime Banque Populaire XI, he'll be fighting for a coveted race win - and indeed, a new race record.

"My IMOCA is a bit slower than Armel's," explains fellow French superstar skipper, Charlie Dalin. "For us, it will probably take around three days to finish. Musto MPX will generally be the favourite on board for agility. During the day, I'll be in base layers mainly, then probably Musto midlayers at night - my offshore PJs!"

This will be the third time tackling the race for IMOCA Globe Series Champion, Dalin. Unlike Le Cléac'h, though, he's previously come top of the class - finishing first out of the 13-strong IMOCA fleet in the last edition, which took place in 2021.

"The Fastnet on a small-to-medium size boat can be a long and tough race," Dalin continues. "It's rare not to experience difficult conditions. At some point you will encounter strong winds and a strong sea state. You have to pack your kit bag carefully because of this. You spend a lot of time outside, sitting on the rail, or hiking on smaller boats. It can feel even longer if you're wet through. Test your kit before, make sure it's waterproof, negotiate with your skipper about your gear weight allowance. You need something light but efficient."

A seasoned professional, he leans on his expertise to share tips with race newcomers looking for insider knowledge:

"My advice - don't max out your layers during the daytime because it will always get colder at night! And remember a hat! A Musto HPX drysuit is also a good bet - you don't have to worry about water getting through. You can wear deck shoes in it too, which makes you more agile."

Le Cléac'h interjects...

"The only thing I would add to that - you must have Musto products on board if you want to have a nice trip!"