The latest shock? VULNERABLE is out. Thomas Ruyant and his crew had surged into second place, hot on the heels of Sam Goodchild’s MACIF Santé Prévoyance. They were closing the gap when disaster struck. A violent sea state slammed the IMOCA, fracturing the mast foot. “It exploded,” Ruyant said bluntly. “We bored away hard to keep the mast upright.” The crew managed to stabilise the spar and are now motoring under jury rig to Fraserburgh, Scotland.
“Disgusting” conditions plague La Course des Caps
Their retirement reshuffled the deck. Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner and Holcim – PRB have moved into podium positions. The pack behind has compressed. Light zones are slowing the leaders, while the chasers benefit from fresh breeze and better angles. The 400-mile fleet is concertinaing fast.
That has heightened tension across the board. Malizia – Seaexplorer’s Julien Villion described the current conditions as “disgusting.” His words, not ours.
“We’re bouncing around in our bunks. It’s fast, but brutal. The limit isn’t the boats — it’s the people.”
Sailors are battling sleep deprivation, violent motion, and decks washed in cold spray. The chop is short and steep, typical of this stretch of the North Sea.
Marie Riou echoed that sentiment from aboard Initiatives Cœur.
“The boat is flying, but we’ve had to shorten sail. It’s relentless. We haven’t rested in days.”
Now on the final stretch
This final stretch is no cruise. Crews are on constant alert, navigating not just the weather, but the man-made minefield of oil platforms, sandbanks, and shipping traffic between East Anglia and Calais.
And it’s not over. The final tactical puzzle looms: the Calais DST. This complex traffic separation scheme will force multiple manoeuvres just hours before the finish in Boulogne-sur-Mer. It’s narrow, busy, and unforgiving — especially for exhausted crews. Precision matters here. So does stamina.
ETAs suggest a finish window of early to late afternoon Saturday, with MACIF Santé Prévoyance likely to lead the way in around 12:30 to 14:00 local time (estimated between 22:30 and midnight NZT). Association Petits Princes – Quéguiner and Holcim – PRB are not far behind, forecast to arrive between 14:00 and 18:00. With wind pressure building astern and gaps shrinking, nothing is guaranteed.
Meanwhile, Szabolcs Weöres and his New Europe crew press on with determination. Their daggerboard IMOCA can’t match the foilers for speed, but their grit is unquestionable. They remain hundreds of miles back, still laughing through the cold and chaos. “The north is stunning,” Weöres radioed. “We’re tired, soaked — and loving it.”
Back at the front, though, everything is still in play. The weather remains changeable. So do the rankings. And while MACIF Santé Prévoyance looks strong, the final miles are fraught with risk. With three boats in serious contention and the finish line within reach, today’s decisions will define the story.
For the sailors, it’s been a long, brutal week. For the fans, it’s far from over. Expect a finish filled with drama, strategy, and the raw emotion that defines offshore racing.
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More coverage at https://www.boatingnz.co.nz/category/sport/sailing-sport/course-des-caps/
For more updates on La Course des Caps and the wider IMOCA fleet, stay tuned to Boating New Zealand, where we bring you the stories behind the sails.
