After another day of very light winds along the French coast, the crews were finally able to pick up speed during the night. Heading towards the latitude of Barcelona, they reached speeds of over 25 knots. While five boats have managed to break away at the front of the fleet, Paprec Arkéa has kept the advantage. It was Yoann Richomme and his crew who crossed the Santo Stefano scoring gate first this morning. Incredibly there were less than one minute ahead of Allagrande Mapei Racing.
For sailors who live for speed, who love nothing more than flirting with 30 knots and flying above the water, light winds can be nerve-wracking. Yet that’s exactly what they faced all day Monday in The Ocean Race Europe, as the fleet worked its way along the French coast, from Nice to the Îles du Levant. “It’s not easy—we haven’t slept much, and the lack of wind means lots of tacks, sail changes and gybes,” explained Will Harris (Team Malizia).
An unchanged situation until the middle of the night
“The day was basically a small tactical coastal race, playing with the wind, moving closer to shore to catch the thermal breeze,” said Yoann Richomme. While the wind was weak, “there was always a little puff,” the Paprec Arkéa skipper pointed out. “There were times when it was very soft… We know we have to stay at the helm and keep trimming as much as possible.”
“It was a day of light winds, but we’re all trying to be patient, chasing every little gust,” added Nicolas Lunven. The Holcim-PRB sailor described it as “a very subtle kind of sailing,” but one that “can also be very enjoyable.”
“It’s not unpleasant once it stabilises,” smiled Will Harris. Above all, the conditions were flat, giving the crews more stability and comfort. As they progressed along the French Riviera, the sailors could at least enjoy the view while patiently waiting for better winds.
From Monday into Tuesday night, the situation along the coast remained the same. While Team Amaala dropped slightly behind, the first six boats were within about ten miles of each other.
“We know we’re in the right pack, but the big question is who’s going to catch the wind first and break away,” said Will Harris. And then, for the first time, speeds exploded during the night. From 0400 this morning, the boats were able to lift on their foils and accelerate to over 25 knots. “After getting clear of the islands near Porquerolles, we managed to hook into the tramontane, which allowed us to accelerate and enjoy a long, fast stretch all the way to Barcelona.”
Paprec Arkéa first through the scoring gate
That’s where the scoring gate along the latitude of Santo Stefano was positioned, which for the first time was not close to the start but further offshore. While Canada Ocean Racing – Be Water Positive also dropped back, two strategies emerged among the top five. The leading quartet (Paprec Arkéa, Team Malizia, Allagrande Mapei Racing, Biotherm) chose a more westerly route, while Team Holcim-PRB opted slightly further east.
The battle intensified as they approached the scoring gate and having led continuously since yesterday, Paprec Arkéa managed to cross first, followed by Allagrande Mapei Racing. The two teams therefore pocketed 2 points and 1 point respectively. Now the fleet heads further south, but today’s strong conditions are not expected to last. Yoann Richomme warns: “By tomorrow evening, we should be back in light winds!”
Could this reshuffle the cards yet again? To be continued.
Ranking at Santo Stefano Scoring Gate
Paprec Arkéa – 07:33:24 CEST – 2 points
Allagrande Mapei Racing – 07:34:21 CEST – 1 point
