La Course des Caps delivered a dramatic shift in gear overnight. After days of tactical drifting, the IMOCA fleet finally lit the afterburners, surfing downwind in southwesterlies gusting over 30 knots. For the skippers, it’s been a welcome but brutal change — a gallop in “pony mode” where every sail change, every manoeuvre, every mile counts.
Sam Goodchild’s MACIF Santé Prévoyance continues to lead the charge, but not without pressure. The boat clocked 30-knot bursts as it carved along the Scottish coast, keeping daylight between itself and its closest rivals. But the battle at the front has taken a hit.
Thomas Ruyant’s VULNERABLE, which surged back into second overnight and won two sprints in succession, is out. A breakdown at the mast foot forced the team to secure the spar and motor to Aberdeen for repairs.
“We gave it everything,” said Morgan Lagravière, “but the sea had other ideas.”
Behind them, the pack pounds south, past the Orkneys and into the North Sea. Speeds still top 25 knots, but the rhythm is brutal. Inside the boats, no one’s sleeping. Sailors crawl in wet gear, wedge themselves into bunks, and brace for manoeuvres in foaming spray.
Initiatives Cœur skipper Sam Davies summed up the experience:
“It’s flat-out, no-limits racing. We’re flying, but every choice matters now.”
Teammate Francesca Clapcich echoed the sentiment:
“We’ve got to stay sharp. This is where the race is won or lost.”
Every gybe demands timing. Every shift in the wind could reshape the rankings. Even one small mistake could cost hours.
With VULNERABLE gone, the new podium contenders — Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner, Holcim – PRB, and Initiatives Cœur — continue to hammer their way toward the finish. At stake are not just trophies, but reputations. The race’s newest faces, including Élodie Bonafous, are pushing veterans hard, and impressively so.
“We’re exhausted but committed,” she said. “It’s violent, yes, but it’s also glorious.”
Meanwhile, further back, Szabolcs Weöres’s New Europe presses on. With straight daggerboards instead of foils, his team can’t match the leaders for pace. But their determination is unwavering.
“We’re cold, wet, and laughing,” he radioed. “This far north — it’s stunning.”
The next phase promises new challenges. The wind is forecast to drop, then veer south. The high-speed surf session will end, replaced by tight angles, upwind slogs, and a cluttered North Sea filled with oil platforms and sandbanks. Strategic options shrink, but danger rises.
After yesterday’s storming run, today feels like the calm before the next storm. Finish line ETA? Still Saturday for the leaders — weather permitting.
But nothing is certain now. Not in a race that continues to test everything these sailors have: resilience, speed, nerve, and endurance.
La Course des Caps: IMOCA’s bold new adventure around the British Isles
READ THIS RACE FROM THE START – La Course des Caps: IMOCA’s bold new adventure around the British Isles
