An unconventional pre-start
This first race of the season in the IMOCA class was eagerly awaited by all the sailors ready to take on the challenge. However, due to the health crisis linked to Covid-19, a well-defined health protocol had to be followed. The skippers therefore left the pontoons of their home port on Friday 3rd July, after medical tests to detect Covid19 and fitted with protective masks.
It's three or four at most that the sailors set off from Port-la-Forêt, La Trinité - sur-mer, Lorient, Les Sables-d'Olonne or La Rochelle. Once there, there was no village, so they had to be patient for 24 hours and prepare as best they could for the start.
A rhythmic start
It was at 3:30 pm on Saturday 4th July that the 20 of the 34 skippers, who are contenders at the start of the Vendée Globe, set off on a 3556 nautical mile North Atlantic triangle. The start took place in a SW'ly wind of 20 knots, before the Institut Pasteur buoy, whose colours are worn by the Vendée - Arctic - Les Sables-d'Olonne, was passed in the direction of the two crossing points set along the route. The first is located at the south-western tip of Iceland. The second is off the Azores, and is marked by the Gallimard buoy.
The new foilers put on a show, imposing a frenzied tempo. Six of the eight latest generation foilers were present: Jérémie Beyou (Charal), Charlie Dalin (Apivia), Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut), Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG MORI Global One), Sébastien Simon (ARKEA PAPREC) and Armel Tripon, whose L'Occitane en Provence is the latest addition to the fleet. It was an opportunity to deliver a match between four architects, Guillaume Verdier, the VPLP firm, Juan Kouyoumdjian and Samuel Manuard.
Also in the match are boats from previous generations equipped with foils, such as Samantha Davies (Initiatives-C?ur), Fabrice Amedeo (Newrest - Art & Fenêtres), Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ IV), Kevin Escoffier (PRB), Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer - Yacht Club de Monaco), Isabelle Joschke (MACSF), Giancalo Pedote (Prysmian Group) or Arnaud Boissières (La Mie Câline - Artisans Artipôle).
Finally, the older straight-daggerboard boats represented by Manuel Cousin (SÉTIN Group), Clarisse Crémer (Banque Populaire X), Miranda Merron (Campagne de France), Clément Giraud (Vers un monde sans Sida), Damien Seguin (APICIL Group) and Maxime Sorel (V and B - Mayenne).
Different challenges
While some have to complete the course to hope to qualify for the Vendée Globe, others go there to make their boat more reliable.
While the fleet has left the Fastnet to starboard and is about to head north, Thomas Ruyant (LinkedOut) is still leading the fleet. Just behind him, less than 8 miles behind him, is Jéremie Beyou (Charal). Next comes Charlie Dalin (Apivia), 10 miles behind and Kevin Escoffier (PRB) 13 miles behind. The leading fleet is therefore well grouped together and does credit to the brand new IMOCA boats.
Already two dropouts
Sébastien Simon (Arkéa-Paprec) suffered a foil damage and officially retired on Sunday 5th July. On Saturday, four hours after leaving Les Sables-d'Olonne, while he was making headway at 17 knots in around twenty knots of wind, "rather under sail, under J3 (the small headsail) and one reef in the mainsail," he said, his starboard foil gave way.
After warning his shore crew yesterday at 6pm that his alternator support had broken, preventing the batteries from being fully recharged, Damien Seguin reached Port-La-Forêt at the end of the morning today. The skipper of Groupe APICIL was joined by his Team who quickly carried out a diagnosis of the damage on board. The skipper also decided to abandon the race.
