Bright sunshine, flat seas, and a light south-westerly thermal breeze, such were the perfect Sunday afternoon conditions for the start of the second stage from Kinsale to the Bay of Morlaix.
It is hard to imagine more pleasant conditions to starts the climb along the southern Irish coast. Indeed the weather is ideal for the summer tourists but the 32 skippers on La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec would prefer ten knots more wind and the prospect of a few good naps through the night.
French skipper Romen Richard (Passion Santé) has led the way into an uncertain night just ahead of Gaston Morvan (Région Bretagne CMB) with rookie Hugo Dhallene (YC Saint Lunaire) – winner of the last Mini Transat in third.
A transition zone is ahead before breaking into a NE’ly breeze. Speeds are very low 2kts to 3kts and there is about 40 slow miles to sail yet to get to Carnsnore Pt to turn up into the Saint George’s Channel.
There is more than four miles of lateral separation between Basile Bourgnon (EDENRED) in the south – looking to sail more directly through the ridge – and Dhallene in the north