Perfect downwind conditions!

There’s no need to look any further—this is exactly the kind of day our 30 Trin’40 sailors live for, in case they had forgotten! Since passing the northernmost mark of the course, off the tip of Brittany, the solo skippers have been able to deploy their favorite weapon: the spinnaker, that generously curved headsail which means the boat no longer slams into the swell, but instead rides it, carving out exhilarating surfs! A truly delightful program, in stronger winds than forecast, allowing them to put on a serious burst of speed while remaining highly manageable.

And the verdict is clear: not a single sailor is complaining—no, really, we love them, but let’s be honest, sailors do tend to grumble by nature—yet here they are, far too busy enjoying themselves! Stéphane Bodin (Wasabii, 198) would certainly agree; earlier in the night, he even suggested: “We could have carried on like this all the way to Guadeloupe, instead of turning left tomorrow!” The knowledgeable amateur, a thermal engineer by profession and lying 26th this morning, was also showing a healthy appetite while preparing his beef stew: “I’m catching up with the leading pack and I’m hoping to overtake them during the night.”

Thirty boats within thirty miles

Once again, what stands out in this impressive Class40 fleet is its remarkable consistency, despite the wide range of profiles! At dawn on this third day of racing, the thirty solo sailors are all within thirty miles of each other—a handkerchief-sized gap that could quickly stretch or tighten with the slightest opportunity! “Take a nap and you lose your place” could well be the motto of this unusual day of cat-and-mouse racing!

A solid leader since rounding Sein, Guillaume Pirouelle (Seafrigo – Sogestran, 198) nevertheless set a strong pace for the competition throughout the day. While the recent Jules Verne Trophy holder was enjoying his position, he remained well aware that his precious few miles of lead were not yet enough to feel completely at ease! “The day went well: I had great speed, I was happy, I tried quite a few setups, and overall I dropped quite a few competitors on AIS. When things go like that, it’s pretty nice! I’m not making too many mistakes,” joked the sailor from Le Havre, who hadn’t raced solo since his Figaro days, but clearly hasn’t lost his touch!

“I really enjoy solo sailing, but everything is more difficult: you can’t afford mistakes because they cost you very quickly,” summed up the Sogestran–Seafrigo skipper. “I tried to grab a few naps because I barely slept last night! It’s always easier during the day; I think I’ll be tired tonight, but that’s normal! Now it’s going to get more complicated. We’ve opened a bit of a gap on the fleet behind, but with the ridge it could compress again; the front isn’t breaking away too much, so there’s still plenty to play for. Conditions are changing, you have to stay focused, everyone is pushing hard—there’s still everything to do!”

“The whole upwind leg is going to be quite tough”

Indeed, what lies ahead looks a bit more unsettled and could well give the chasing pack opportunities to fight back. Already late in the night, speeds had dropped with the arrival of a high-pressure ridge, a sign of weakening winds that forces the solo sailors to remain particularly vigilant.

The next part is described by the local sailor, Spaniard Pep Costa (VSF Sports, 181): “Towards Galicia, it should stay բավական pleasant downwind, with the wind gradually building, so we’ll need to keep an eye on that. Then the whole upwind leg will be quite difficult—already long, fully upwind, and very technical! It won’t be easy to find the right tacks, and the models are also starting to show a big lull near the Gironde mark, in the middle of the Bay of Biscay. It’ll be a tricky crossing point to negotiate, so we’ll really have to stay focused on that!”

Lying fourth in the 7 a.m. rankings, the VSF Sports skipper was still carrying good speed at daybreak, and above all showing high spirits, maintained thanks to a series of short, strategic naps throughout the day: “On bigger boats, everything is a bit less straightforward than in double-handed or crewed sailing, but that’s part of the game. I’m in a good rhythm, I’m trying to stay in tune with myself, to focus on my race and what I’m working on, to sail a clean track and take good care of the equipment.”

Not always the right kind of animal on board

Making the most of the moment while staying ahead of what’s coming is also what Sasha Lanièce (Alderan, 186) has been doing, locked in a battle all night with Robin Follin (Solano, 213). “Unlike the past few weeks, I’m actually managing to eat on board—that’s a big win! So I’m making the most of it, because once we turn upwind, it’s going to be a lot less fun!” she said in the evening.

Of course, there are still the occasional frustrations, like this unfortunate realization: “I wasn’t able to furl my gennaker straight like the guys, with their big arms, and had to keep bearing away to roll it up! But that’s life—we keep hitting the gym and maybe one day I’ll get there!” joked the 33-year-old sailor, who nonetheless had some notable overnight company—though probably not much help when it comes to handling headsails.

“One small joy: I’ve had swallows all over my boat for a while now. Every time I think they’ve gone, there are more! I’m seriously starting to wonder if I didn’t set off with a nest on board,” she wrote, just minutes before sending us a photo of a very close encounter with her unexpected guests.

If there’s one more sailor who seems to have set off with an animal on board, it would be more like “a black cat”… Lomano Takasi (Réauté Chocolat, 160) has indeed had a somewhat rough start to the race, notably due to gennaker issues, but also after an unfortunate encounter between Belle-Île and Quiberon. “I picked up some fishing gear—came to a complete stop—and by the time I managed to free myself, I was back underway but far behind the tail end of the fleet!”

Since then, the skipper from Sarthe has been pushing hard to catch back up with the pack, “and above all not to finish last!”

He can take some comfort, though: the road home is anything but a straight line, unlike this day of fast, smooth sailing. As fatigue begins to build, a new test of clarity and decision-making awaits the thirty solo sailors, who came precisely to gain experience—both with their boats and with themselves.

“We’re experiencing lots of different conditions and testing plenty of things,” summed up Sasha Lanièce. “It’s a great early-season race!”


Note from Race Management: on the tracker, several boats may appear not to have rounded the Cardinale de Sein mark, but rest assured—they have indeed done so! It’s an area with strong currents and significant depth, and the buoy’s exact position is quite difficult to pinpoint. The tracking system, however, requires precise coordinates, which don’t perfectly match reality. But we’re keeping a close watch (on both the fleet and mark roundings)!