While Tom Laperche on SVR Lazartigue has already built a decent lead in the Ultim class, ahead of Armel Le Cleac’h (Banque Populaire XI) by just over 35 miles this morning, it is the Italian skippers Ambroggio Beccaria (Allagrande Mapei) and Luca Rosetti (Macaferri Futura) which lead the IMOCA class and Class 40 respectively going into the first full day of racing after a busy, sporty first night.
After such a beautiful, relatively benign start Sunday afternoon the 115 skippers were straight into high intensity, quick racing requiring maximum concentration while the massive fleet spread out, some classes intermixing at different speeds, and so the first night has required maximum vigilance with little time to rest. Heading west, downwind the big question for the leaders is when to make their gybe to the south west of Ireland.
COLLISION, DORANGE AND PILLIARD IN ROSCOFF
A collision between Violette Dorange’s IMOCA Initiatives Coeur and Roman Pilliard’s Use it Again, the 79 foot Vintage Multi - which was built originally as Ellen MacArthur’s solo round the world record setting boat – has required both French skippers to head for Roscoff to make repairs. While both skippers are unharmed, the impact damaged the monohull’s starboard foil and one of the multihull’s floats. Both vessels headed to Roscoff—the trimaran arriving in the middle of the night, and the monohull shortly after 4:30 a.m. this Monday. The Initiatives-Cœur shore team has are there working Dorange’s boat but also lending a hand to the Use It Again crew, the aim being to get getting both back out to sea as quickly as possible.
LAPERCHE OPENS THE COURSE
The Ultim leader Laperche made his gybe around 0300hrs UTC last night already some 120 nautical miles SWW of Fastnet Rock. Once past the Isles of Scilly yesterday evening, the pace quickened "We were both really cranking hard!” recalled Laperche early this morning "We had to change sails several times, which wasn't exactly part of the plan. We went through a really intense night. It’s great to be able to race like this on such massive machines, with speed differences of around half a knot. It’s incredibly tight, so you really have to give it your all."
Now, today these ocean giants are expected to keep clocking speeds of around 35 knots, pushed along by an east-southeasterly flow of 15 to 18 knots.
Leader of the Ocean Fifty fleet, Matthieu Perraut (Elvest) says he spent much of the night sailing almost completely blind. "The sea is choppy, and the wind has really picked up. We’ve been maintaining high average speeds—it’s quite a physical workout, and you can’t see a thing outside! We’re sailing by feel, but everything’s going well."
The skipper did, however, manage to take advantage of a brief lull to grab a few minutes of sleep.
ALLAGRANDE SETS THE PACE
At the front of the IMOCA class by only 3.5 miles this morning Beccaria reported that he has had to adjust his strategy as the wind last night built much faster than anticipated. The Italian sailor specifically praised the skill shown by second placed Franco Brit Sam Goodchild (MACIF Santé Prévoyance): "Sam did exactly what I had intended to do, but for my part, I didn't feel comfortable attempting a sail change. The conditions were just too extreme." He recalled his start and his opening miles yesterday, "Afterwards, the maneuvers continued, with two gybes and a change of sail. I had prepared a plan that I didn't stick to at all, because the wind came in faster than expected. I didn't feel like trying the peel. Sam Goodchild did exactly what I wanted to do. Then we went downwind and the speeds gradually increased. So far, I haven't been able to get much sleep, so I'm trying to squeeze in a few naps. After the next jibe, it should go even faster, if that's possible! That's what the routings say, but we'll see. »
So far the order in the IMOCA class is very much as many predicted, Corentin Horeau showing his predicted strength on MACSF, formerly Yoann Richomme’s Arkea Paprec. Jérémie Beyou is back in fifth at 24 miles behind Beccaria. Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia 4) is a steady seventh just ahead of Italian American Francesca Clapcich (11th Hour Racing) in eighth.
No one wants to fall behind
In the Class40 fleet Pierre Leboucher had the lead by a narrow margin in the night but this morning it is the Italian former winner of the Mini Transat Rosetti who is only just ahead. Leboucher explained that conditions that aren't particularly well-suited to his boat. "Choosing the right sails was difficult, given the constant shifts in wind direction and intensity. I managed reasonably well, especially considering that my boat isn't necessarily the most comfortable in these kinds of conditions. I managed to move it along well, even if it was sometimes limited. You have to press hard but above all don't break anything.”
In Rhum Mono, Kieran Le Borgne on the vintage ex PRB IMOCA Armor-Lux – Le Finistère Assurance continues his learning at high speed, leading the class. “It's intense for me who's still learning the boat, but it's super healthy. The maneuvers are going well, although it remains a big piece. I had some apprehensions, but so far, I'm really having fun!”
In the Rhum Multi, Francis Joyon, Damien Seguin (Arkéa – Handicap International) and Éric Péron (French Touch Oceans Club) are pushing each other hard on their ORMA tris. In the lead this Monday morning is the indomitable winner of the 2018 edition, Joyon. “As soon as things got complicated, Francis became faster. He knows his machine to perfection. I tried a lot of things during the night to find the right settings and now I can keep the pace better,” explained Damien Seguin. These multihulls may have a few years under their belt, but their skippers are making no allowance for their age. “We're going to push them as if they were new, even if it's also part of the job to know how to be wise and listen to your boat.”