A tribute to taking things slowly at the start of the first Trin’40

A line-up of sleek racing machines in Quiberon Bay, a host of eager drivers ready to put their foot down… but unable to shift into second gear! Indeed, it was in a waning easterly breeze that the thirty competitors in the Trin’40 set off on Friday 24 April, at a much slower pace than we are used to seeing. And we’ll have to get used to this tribute to slowness, as this first part of the race is very much under the sign of the calm, which even forced the race organisers to shorten the course to prevent the thirty solo sailors from languishing at sea for too long.

But the lack of wind doesn’t mean the sailors are out of work – quite the opposite! For they will need to constantly adjust their boats to make the most of the slightest breeze, and be particularly vigilant in reading the conditions on the water. In Aeolus’s great lottery, sometimes all it takes is a clever little adjustment to catch a wisp of air that allows, oh joy, the sails to be filled a little and the boat to pick up speed!

In this little game of patience, the Spaniard Pep Costa (VHF Sports), as well as Mikaël Mergui (Centrakor-Hirsch) and Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran-Seafrigo) seemed to be coming out on top at the start of the race, proudly holding a narrow 0.2-mile lead over the rest of the fleet – it may be a minor detail to you, but for those slogging it out, it means a great deal!

“Sleep is going to be a major issue”
The first challenge of this Trin’40 will therefore be to make it out of Quiberon Bay and keep a cool head so as not to lose track of the race! All the more so when technical problems crop up on board, as was the case for Pierre Leboucher (Yelcho) who, barely 20 minutes into the race, was already reporting some electronic issues and a bit of DIY work in progress… but nothing serious, apparently, for the recent winner of the Jules Verne Trophy, who carried on as before and was also trying to make his way towards the tip of Quiberon!

For the sailors, the test of patience is likely to continue throughout the ascent to the Chaussée de Sein, hoping that a light thermal breeze might decide to pick up along the way to shorten their ordeal a little! “Sleep is going to be a major issue in this race,” summarised Sasha Lanièce (Alderan) a few minutes before the start, “because there really isn’t a single moment when we can sleep, apart from perhaps at the end, and even then we won’t sleep very well because there’ll be a lot of wind and it’ll be rocking the boat quite a bit! So we’ll just have to see!” 

Finding the right pace will be particularly crucial for the sailors, who are all returning to solo racing, and for nine of the thirty entrants, this will be their debut. “This will be my first solo race on the boat, even though I know it well as I’m starting my fourth season on board,” explained Achille Nebout, skipper of Amarris and a key figure in Class40. “It’s always a unique experience, and we’ll need to be particularly vigilant about finding the right moments to look after ourselves, because it’s going to grow crescendo and we’ll need to have energy throughout the race!”

A feeling shared even among the more seasoned sailors. The experienced Corentin Douguet (SNSM, faites un don !) joked about it a few hours before setting off: “It’s been four years since I last sailed solo, so I’ll see if I still know how to do it! But the advantage of my advanced age is that I’ve got a few solo miles under my belt, so I’m not too worried about that. I’ll need to find the right moments to get some rest, but it’s a good start to the 2026 season.”

An uncertain finish
Once the tip of Brittany has finally been rounded, the sailors will then be able to set course for the Assureurs Conseils Bru-Le Merdy mark, positioned by the race organisers in the Bay of Biscay. Conditions will gradually worsen, reaching gusts of up to 25 knots as they approach Spain – a sailing area that is always tricky for sailors venturing there, and will undoubtedly require the utmost vigilance to make the right strategic choices whilst avoiding shipping traffic. 

Only then will it be time to signal homeward, for a close-hauled run that promises to be wet and bumpy – much to the delight of our solo sailors, who will rediscover the thrill of sailing heeled over. The icing on the cake is that a new unstable weather front could well throw the wind vanes into disarray once again, and bring, yet again, its share of calm as we approach La Trinité-sur-Mer. Patience and length of time are mightier than force or fury, says the poet—whom we would nevertheless like to challenge to sail solo in this misery!