The 32 competitors still in the race, David Paul (Just a Drop) having announced its abandonment after having hit the outskirts of Penmarc’h on Sunday late afternoon, were able to take advantage of a beautiful starry night when bypassing Brittany towards the Channel. The North Star always in its place.
Benoit Mariette (Senior Generation) was in the lead pack and had a cheerful voice, the first hours of racing from Port-la-Forêt having been peaceful: “The night was very pleasant, without too much wind or too much sea. After a transition zone in the bay of Audierne where there was not much air before passing the raz de Sein, this one came and we were able to navigate correctly to pass the Four channel. Currently I have 15 knots and making headway. The chop is there but it’s still reasonable, especially given what awaits us at the end of the day. We have to take advantage of it. »
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The day will be devoted to charting its course towards the mark of the Channel Islands which should be reached at the end of the afternoon on Monday. “I haven’t yet decided when I’m going to let go of the coast. We are currently tacking in the strongest current near land. Soon we will look for a long edge off. But you have to find the right tempo. Stay on the coast to protect yourself from the current when there is an overturn. In the meantime, I’ll try to find a time to take a few 10-minute naps this early in the morning.” announced the 38-year-old sailor when the day was not yet up.
Past 2e at the sprint mark giving the right to time bonuses behind Achile Nebout (Amaris Primeo Energy) and ahead of Maël Garnier (Ageas-Team Bay of Saint-Brieuc), Tom Laperche (Brittany-CMB Performance Region) led a still compact fleet in the 6 h. The entry into the Channel heralded a knitting game where they were going to have mesh to start head down against the breath of Éole in the direction of the Desormes buoy, between Jersey and Guernsey: “ The sky was quite clear last night and the fleet settled with the reversal of the current. Now everything is fine, I have already been able to sleep. And off we go for upwind for 90 miles. It will be a bit long and the wind will only pick up during the day. We’ll have to put on the skins for a good fifteen hours I think. There will be small route choices to be made and I don’t know if that will make huge differences, but with the current about to reverse, it will be harder for us to move forward. We will have to find the right times for tacking. The reversal should take place at the end of the morning. »
The sun rising on the island of Batz, the fleet could continue its creeping sideways step towards its destiny. All knowing that the road will still be long to reach Royan, via the Eddystone lighthouse in England, which they should bypass next night.