Some of the good and less good bits of the race
Most sailors have a certain ability to suppress the harshness of sailing. They draw experience and strength from their ability to prosper when the going is tough or when they overcome problems. They emerge stronger and better equipped for the next races. During the third leg, the 31 competitors still in the race lived through a tough, tough leg but they were well prepared for the conditions and the challenge. Here are some of the best and worst moments.
Chloé Le Bars (EndoBreizh): “My worst moment was on the spinnaker leg to go to England. I had never experienced conditions like this, especially the sea state. The wind was good but the sea was hellish. I was really scared. I lowered the spinnaker and finished this tack with the jib. I got caught in a breaking wave that caught the boat on the beam. It exploded on the boat, I ended up on the ground and luckily I was hanging on. My seamanship came to the fore and I put the competition on hold at the end of this leg. I found it very hard and very violent. The best was this arrival in Gijon. I was so happy with this bit.”
Jules Delpech (ORCOM): "I got caught in a big bit of seaweed, I couldn't get rid of it. I was going backwards, I lost 500 meters and several places. It ended up going away a bit on its own. And then afterwards, I did some laps with my gennaker which had gotten tangled with the spinnaker halyard, I don't know what happened. I almost climbed the mast, but in the end I managed to unfurl it. I sailed close-hauled with my gennaker, which was flapping along the mast for a little while. And in the end, I hoisted it again unfurled it again and everything came undone as if by magic."
Martin Le Pape (DEMAIN): "My worst moment was when I saw that the podium had gone for me. That was my goal for the last stage but the guys in front had an incredible race. I have no regrets about that but I wasn't up to the level. On the other hand, my best moment was on the second leg when I realized that it was the start of the school year and that I was here doing a crazy job.
Gaston Morvan (Région Bretagne - CMB Performance): "My best moment is most certainly that downwind leg when arriving at the Portland Bill mark with that gybe. It was going well and especially side by side with my friends. There was also that moment when I was at the top of the mast, with the wind on the beam, at sunset and that satisfaction of having succeeded in the mission. The worst moments are the technical problems of the boat. There were quite a few. The moment when the pilot no longer worked on the leg between Sisargas and Royan during the second leg."
Quentin Vlamynck (Les Étoiles Filantes): "I have quite a few bad moments but the worst was the tearing of my little spinnaker. I had 30 miles left to do with it. With the fatigue I wasn't fast enough in this maneuver. It's the first time that it's happened to me, I didn't have the right reflexes. It was falling, I couldn't engage the pilot, the spinnaker was sucked under the boat. It was hell to get it back. I had to manage to stop and lower the J2 without tearing it too. The boats were overtaking me, it was difficult. I wanted to jibe to lay the boat down and bring the spinnaker back, but once the J2 was down, I was able to lower the halyard and retrieve the spinnaker that was in the water behind. I saw myself diving to look for the spinnaker under the keel, but in the end, I managed to bring everything back up. On the other hand, my best moment was this arrival in Royan where I was alone on the water, it was magical. »
Thomas De Dinechin (Almond): « My best moment was definitely the arrival in Gijón. I was in the lead, but unfortunately, with the stress, I made a few mistakes that made me lose a few places. That feeling was just crazy. I really want to experience it again. On the other hand, the worst moment was definitely that passage in the Channel when I was forced to force my way past the military boats. I wasn't manoeuvrable at all, I couldn't bear away or luff too much. I think the first warship slowed down slightly. My legs were shaking, it was terrible. That moment was extremely stressful. I didn't have them on the AIS. »