amyb
Senior Insider
I think we are rooting for the same team, Dennis.
La Transat Paprec
- Thread starter KevinS
- Start date
amyb
Senior Insider
"What's in a name?"
KevinS
Senior Insider
Update from the Trandat Paprec website:
THE 8 PM RANKING & WEATHER POINT OF THE NIGHT
Brittany Region - CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre) has managed to keep its leading position today. Francis le Goff, Race Director, gives us an update on what will follow:
“We notice that the wind has dropped, it is a little weaker in the trade winds, and therefore the speeds have also dropped. Over the next few hours, sailors will have to find the best compromise between their angle to the wind and its pressure.
In other words, they can choose to go faster by going south, even if it means doing more miles than the direct route; where they can on the contrary choose to make a better angle even if it means losing pressure and therefore speed. To sum up: what they lose in speed, they gain on the road, and conversely, what they gain in speed, they lose on the road. It's all about finding the right balance to finish ahead.
What complicates the game is the weakening of the wind, added to their 10 days at sea and the associated fatigue which is obviously greater than at the start. The feeling of sliding is more difficult to perceive in these conditions, and finding the right settings is therefore also difficult.
We've been saying it from the start, and I think it's the common thread, but it's a knockout race. We have already seen the gaps created between certain competitors, and this is perhaps what is likely to happen between the first 6 boats. The duo that manages to remain mobilized to produce the effort of the next 48 hours, despite the nervous tension that this implies, will probably be the first to cross the finish line.
The "further south" option of Région Bretagne - CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre) continues to operate. They no longer have any South to put in their way. They control the situation and are ready to draw in case of attack from their competitors or at the slightest possibility that a better wind angle will offer them. »
The 8 p.m. ranking point:
The weather forecast for the night:
This evening, the skippers should continue their course westward, often on a single tack (starboard tack), under a moderate and fairly constant trade wind of 15 knots. This will allow her to maintain progress speeds of around 10-11 knots.
THE 8 PM RANKING & WEATHER POINT OF THE NIGHT
Brittany Region - CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre) has managed to keep its leading position today. Francis le Goff, Race Director, gives us an update on what will follow:
“We notice that the wind has dropped, it is a little weaker in the trade winds, and therefore the speeds have also dropped. Over the next few hours, sailors will have to find the best compromise between their angle to the wind and its pressure.
In other words, they can choose to go faster by going south, even if it means doing more miles than the direct route; where they can on the contrary choose to make a better angle even if it means losing pressure and therefore speed. To sum up: what they lose in speed, they gain on the road, and conversely, what they gain in speed, they lose on the road. It's all about finding the right balance to finish ahead.
What complicates the game is the weakening of the wind, added to their 10 days at sea and the associated fatigue which is obviously greater than at the start. The feeling of sliding is more difficult to perceive in these conditions, and finding the right settings is therefore also difficult.
We've been saying it from the start, and I think it's the common thread, but it's a knockout race. We have already seen the gaps created between certain competitors, and this is perhaps what is likely to happen between the first 6 boats. The duo that manages to remain mobilized to produce the effort of the next 48 hours, despite the nervous tension that this implies, will probably be the first to cross the finish line.
The "further south" option of Région Bretagne - CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre) continues to operate. They no longer have any South to put in their way. They control the situation and are ready to draw in case of attack from their competitors or at the slightest possibility that a better wind angle will offer them. »
The 8 p.m. ranking point:
The weather forecast for the night:
This evening, the skippers should continue their course westward, often on a single tack (starboard tack), under a moderate and fairly constant trade wind of 15 knots. This will allow her to maintain progress speeds of around 10-11 knots.
KevinS
Senior Insider
From the Transat Paprec webpage:
Weather report for Thursday May 11
General situation This Thursday, little change in a moderate northeast trade wind, south of the Azores High at 1030 hPa which remains positioned northeast of the Azores.
On Friday, moderate trade winds in the eastern sector, south-west of the anticyclone, centered at 49°N and 18°W and southeasterly conditions west of the 40th parallel, under the influence of a trough caused by a depression at 1013 hPa, centered at 47°N and 38°W.
Saturday, moderate and more irregular east-southeast flow, southwest of the high at 1031 hPa, centered at 41°N and 22°W and under the influence of a trough caused by another depression at 1019 hPa, centered at 35°N and 45°W.
Weather conditions at sea on the Transat Paprec
Last night, boat speeds dropped a bit, as expected, around 10-11 knots, due to weakening trade winds. Most of the skippers sailed on starboard tack in northeasterly winds of 12 to 15 knots from west to east. Some will have carried out a few gybes to the south, in order to recover a little more wind, but very temporarily, in order to set course again towards the west and not to stray too far from the direct course. This morning, Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre (Brittany Region – CMB Performance) are still leaders of the race ahead of Corentin Horeau and Pauline Courtois (Mutuelle Bleue). The first six now stretch over around 32 miles, while Arnaud Machado and Lucie Querel (Groupe Hélios – from Lake Geneva to the Ocean) close the race more than 350 miles from the frontrunners.
Thursday, May 11:
This morning, the fleet is sailing under moderate northeasterly trade winds around 12-15 knots. Their speed of progress fell between 9 and 11 knots on average. They often continue their course on a single tack, starboard tack. This afternoon, no real change in the conditions, with the maintenance of a moderate northeast trade winds but which will sometimes tend to weaken a little more. Tonight and next night, the north-easterly wind will continue to weaken, around 11-13 knots only. The sailors should thus continue their navigation on a single tack (starboard tack) but will be slowed down to speeds close to 8-9 knots only.
Friday May 12:
This Friday morning, the northeast wind will take more and more right, to settle at midday at around 90°. This is due, on the one hand, to the shift of the anticyclone further to the northeast of the Atlantic and to the deepening of a depression, further to the west. It is at the front of a thalweg created by this depression that the flow tends to straighten out. Thus, this change in wind direction will force the skippers to gybe to the south and therefore now sail on the port tack. In addition, the wind should drop around 9-10 knots only at the end of the day, beginning of the evening, which will slow the boats even more, with speeds close to 7-8 knots, for the head of the race. During this day, the skippers will therefore have to better understand the moment when they will carry out their maneuver, in order to benefit from a better angle and set a course towards the south-west.
Saturday May 13:
This Saturday, the fleet should continue its home stretch towards the West Indies, on a single tack (port tack). Competitors should pick up more wind, between 11 and 13 knots, but the southeasterly trade winds will still be quite irregular, due to the presence of a thalweg further west and north, on the 'Atlantic. Nevertheless, the sailors will this time be able to speed up by one or two additional knots, compared to the day before. The first boats should always progress with little gap between them and the classification for this last straight line of the race should be played out between them.
Cyril BONNEFOY, METEO CONSULT
Weather report for Thursday May 11
General situation This Thursday, little change in a moderate northeast trade wind, south of the Azores High at 1030 hPa which remains positioned northeast of the Azores.
On Friday, moderate trade winds in the eastern sector, south-west of the anticyclone, centered at 49°N and 18°W and southeasterly conditions west of the 40th parallel, under the influence of a trough caused by a depression at 1013 hPa, centered at 47°N and 38°W.
Saturday, moderate and more irregular east-southeast flow, southwest of the high at 1031 hPa, centered at 41°N and 22°W and under the influence of a trough caused by another depression at 1019 hPa, centered at 35°N and 45°W.
Weather conditions at sea on the Transat Paprec
Last night, boat speeds dropped a bit, as expected, around 10-11 knots, due to weakening trade winds. Most of the skippers sailed on starboard tack in northeasterly winds of 12 to 15 knots from west to east. Some will have carried out a few gybes to the south, in order to recover a little more wind, but very temporarily, in order to set course again towards the west and not to stray too far from the direct course. This morning, Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre (Brittany Region – CMB Performance) are still leaders of the race ahead of Corentin Horeau and Pauline Courtois (Mutuelle Bleue). The first six now stretch over around 32 miles, while Arnaud Machado and Lucie Querel (Groupe Hélios – from Lake Geneva to the Ocean) close the race more than 350 miles from the frontrunners.
Thursday, May 11:
This morning, the fleet is sailing under moderate northeasterly trade winds around 12-15 knots. Their speed of progress fell between 9 and 11 knots on average. They often continue their course on a single tack, starboard tack. This afternoon, no real change in the conditions, with the maintenance of a moderate northeast trade winds but which will sometimes tend to weaken a little more. Tonight and next night, the north-easterly wind will continue to weaken, around 11-13 knots only. The sailors should thus continue their navigation on a single tack (starboard tack) but will be slowed down to speeds close to 8-9 knots only.
Friday May 12:
This Friday morning, the northeast wind will take more and more right, to settle at midday at around 90°. This is due, on the one hand, to the shift of the anticyclone further to the northeast of the Atlantic and to the deepening of a depression, further to the west. It is at the front of a thalweg created by this depression that the flow tends to straighten out. Thus, this change in wind direction will force the skippers to gybe to the south and therefore now sail on the port tack. In addition, the wind should drop around 9-10 knots only at the end of the day, beginning of the evening, which will slow the boats even more, with speeds close to 7-8 knots, for the head of the race. During this day, the skippers will therefore have to better understand the moment when they will carry out their maneuver, in order to benefit from a better angle and set a course towards the south-west.
Saturday May 13:
This Saturday, the fleet should continue its home stretch towards the West Indies, on a single tack (port tack). Competitors should pick up more wind, between 11 and 13 knots, but the southeasterly trade winds will still be quite irregular, due to the presence of a thalweg further west and north, on the 'Atlantic. Nevertheless, the sailors will this time be able to speed up by one or two additional knots, compared to the day before. The first boats should always progress with little gap between them and the classification for this last straight line of the race should be played out between them.
Cyril BONNEFOY, METEO CONSULT
KevinS
Senior Insider
An update from the Transat Paprec website, as translated by Google. I did not realize that there are two sisters in the race, Pauline Courtois on Mutuelle Bleue and Julia Courtois on AGEAS - Ballay - Cerfrance - Baie de Saint-Breiuc.
SAINT-BARTH IS STILL FAR AWAY!
Another day ahead for the duo Gaston Morvan – Anne-Claire Le Berre (Brittany Region – CMB Performance). However, the gaps are closing in the trade winds with around forty miles laterally and around thirty for the first six. If nothing is easy on board, the skippers take the opportunity to recover a little and keep the nerve impulses necessary to continue fighting. A fight led in particular by the Courtois sisters, Pauline and Julia, whose mother was the guest of the 'Mag de la Transat' this afternoon.
"Saint-Barth is still a long way off," said Julia Courtois during the radio session this Thursday morning. However, each mile, each hour and each day of racing gradually brings them closer to the pearl of the Antilles and its sweetness. There will soon be time to enjoy it, with both feet on solid ground and a head full of memories. But the competitors in the Transat Paprec are not really there yet. And they all know that the concentration must remain at the maximum at each shift.
Fortunately, the trade winds, long awaited in the first week, make it possible to find a good rhythm or even “to be redundant”. This is what Camille Bertel (Cap Ingélec), also contacted during the session, explained: “Since we have been in the trade winds, the pace has calmed down a bit and it feels good”. And she adds: "We manage to have a good night's sleep and catch up on fatigue".
Yet the battle never really stopped. And to be convinced of this, just look at the head of the fleet. If about fifty miles separate them vertically, the first six are still held in less than forty miles. Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre (Brittany Region – CMB Performance) have been leading the discussions for three days, they who point furthest to the south of this leading car. Corentin Horeau and Pauline Courtois (Mutuelle Bleue), after having made a more northerly course, we gybed to the south and the direct route. "The fleet is divided between supporters of a more northern route and those of a more southern route", certifies Camille Bertel.
The guest of the 'Mag de la Transat', this Thursday lunchtime, gave good vibes to two skippers: Pauline and Julia Courtois. Their mother, Christine Courtois, vice-president of the French Sailing Federation, in charge of diversity, was indeed on the set. "I'm a little addicted to cartography, every hour I can't help but look at the rankings," she said. “Having two daughters in the middle of the Atlantic is a bit stressful and it is a source of great pride. What they do, I would never have done. I know they have resources and that can only be fun”. An observation shared by all, among those who fight in the heart of the ocean as among all those who like to follow their progress.
SAINT-BARTH IS STILL FAR AWAY!
"Saint-Barth is still a long way off," said Julia Courtois during the radio session this Thursday morning. However, each mile, each hour and each day of racing gradually brings them closer to the pearl of the Antilles and its sweetness. There will soon be time to enjoy it, with both feet on solid ground and a head full of memories. But the competitors in the Transat Paprec are not really there yet. And they all know that the concentration must remain at the maximum at each shift.
Fortunately, the trade winds, long awaited in the first week, make it possible to find a good rhythm or even “to be redundant”. This is what Camille Bertel (Cap Ingélec), also contacted during the session, explained: “Since we have been in the trade winds, the pace has calmed down a bit and it feels good”. And she adds: "We manage to have a good night's sleep and catch up on fatigue".
Yet the battle never really stopped. And to be convinced of this, just look at the head of the fleet. If about fifty miles separate them vertically, the first six are still held in less than forty miles. Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre (Brittany Region – CMB Performance) have been leading the discussions for three days, they who point furthest to the south of this leading car. Corentin Horeau and Pauline Courtois (Mutuelle Bleue), after having made a more northerly course, we gybed to the south and the direct route. "The fleet is divided between supporters of a more northern route and those of a more southern route", certifies Camille Bertel.
The guest of the 'Mag de la Transat', this Thursday lunchtime, gave good vibes to two skippers: Pauline and Julia Courtois. Their mother, Christine Courtois, vice-president of the French Sailing Federation, in charge of diversity, was indeed on the set. "I'm a little addicted to cartography, every hour I can't help but look at the rankings," she said. “Having two daughters in the middle of the Atlantic is a bit stressful and it is a source of great pride. What they do, I would never have done. I know they have resources and that can only be fun”. An observation shared by all, among those who fight in the heart of the ocean as among all those who like to follow their progress.
. . . a big gain!
KevinS
Senior Insider
A fun update from the Transat Paprec webpage:
SURPRISE PACKAGE
Because life on board is punctuated by the wind, strategy, sleep, food, but not only... a little surprise aboard Région Normandie for Sophie Faguet:
"When your trainer leaves you a little surprise package at the bottom of one of the coolers, it looks like this! Enough to disconnect your head for a few minutes. All accompanied by a small tarte tatin #normandieforever.
I admit that I regularly said to myself at family celebrations that at Lego, they really took the children for idiots with their diagram for the location of each small piece... Today, exceptionally, I thank them for it! It took me enough time, especially since I met the jealous gaze of Guillaume (Pirouelle) who was watching from the helm. I feel that I will have to disassemble it so that he can in turn play with it!
Come on, on this playful quarter of an hour, I wish you a beautiful evening! And thank you Romain for the gifts, you will still have to explain the size 24 pink jellyfish to me
"
SURPRISE PACKAGE
"When your trainer leaves you a little surprise package at the bottom of one of the coolers, it looks like this! Enough to disconnect your head for a few minutes. All accompanied by a small tarte tatin #normandieforever.
I admit that I regularly said to myself at family celebrations that at Lego, they really took the children for idiots with their diagram for the location of each small piece... Today, exceptionally, I thank them for it! It took me enough time, especially since I met the jealous gaze of Guillaume (Pirouelle) who was watching from the helm. I feel that I will have to disassemble it so that he can in turn play with it!
Come on, on this playful quarter of an hour, I wish you a beautiful evening! And thank you Romain for the gifts, you will still have to explain the size 24 pink jellyfish to me
"
KevinS
Senior Insider
From the Transat Paprec website, as translated by Google. And the first mentire of Ssrgasdum.
THE 8 PM RANKING & WEATHER POINT OF THE NIGHT
After yesterday's shift in the wind, the sailors changed tack: "They're on port and it's going to last": said Francis le Goff, Clerk of the Course, and Yann Chateau, Deputy Clerk of the Course.
“After the wind shift last night, the sailors are now sailing on port tack. If we focus on the first three duos, we can see that they have exactly the same speed, a few tenths of a knot apart.
The sailors only receive the position of the other duos 5 times a day at set times. This implies that they do not have the same visibility as us to follow the evolution of the fleet, and that it can become a headache to know the route that their competitors are following.
The first three are so close that they can use another tool to get the position/velocity of the others. This tool is called the AIS (Automatic Identification System). Added to this is software called “Windbag” which directly classifies the boat that has the best speed and/or the best gain compared to the others within range. Sophie Faguet (Normandy Region) talked about it in a video sent earlier this week. »
Aboard Ageas-Ballay-Cerfrance-Baie de Saint-Brieuc (Maël Garnier and Julia Courtois), we do some tinkering, a little word from the crew: “Everything is fine on board, the weather is nice, it's hot and we're fishing sargassum. We are currently evolving really to the south of the fleet and we are waiting for the small rotation to adjust a little. Last night went well, the day was a little tougher because the wind is a little soft and there are swells, so it's not so easy to negotiate.
The operation of the day: unpack what we have left of fruit in order to recover the aluminum foil. We have a buggy pilot's remote control that no longer works and sends us men overboard at all costs. Not possible to unpair it alone as it no longer works; so we made her a small aluminum foil cage and she is relegated outside, at the back of the boat: problem solved! See you tomorrow !"
The 8 p.m. ranking point:
and
THE 8 PM RANKING & WEATHER POINT OF THE NIGHT
After yesterday's shift in the wind, the sailors changed tack: "They're on port and it's going to last": said Francis le Goff, Clerk of the Course, and Yann Chateau, Deputy Clerk of the Course.
“After the wind shift last night, the sailors are now sailing on port tack. If we focus on the first three duos, we can see that they have exactly the same speed, a few tenths of a knot apart.
The sailors only receive the position of the other duos 5 times a day at set times. This implies that they do not have the same visibility as us to follow the evolution of the fleet, and that it can become a headache to know the route that their competitors are following.
The first three are so close that they can use another tool to get the position/velocity of the others. This tool is called the AIS (Automatic Identification System). Added to this is software called “Windbag” which directly classifies the boat that has the best speed and/or the best gain compared to the others within range. Sophie Faguet (Normandy Region) talked about it in a video sent earlier this week. »
Aboard Ageas-Ballay-Cerfrance-Baie de Saint-Brieuc (Maël Garnier and Julia Courtois), we do some tinkering, a little word from the crew: “Everything is fine on board, the weather is nice, it's hot and we're fishing sargassum. We are currently evolving really to the south of the fleet and we are waiting for the small rotation to adjust a little. Last night went well, the day was a little tougher because the wind is a little soft and there are swells, so it's not so easy to negotiate.
The operation of the day: unpack what we have left of fruit in order to recover the aluminum foil. We have a buggy pilot's remote control that no longer works and sends us men overboard at all costs. Not possible to unpair it alone as it no longer works; so we made her a small aluminum foil cage and she is relegated outside, at the back of the boat: problem solved! See you tomorrow !"
The 8 p.m. ranking point:
and
KevinS
Senior Insider
An update from the Transat Paprec webpage. It seems that Region Bretagne - CMB Performance had an encounter with a UFO, an Unidentified Floating Object, which damaged their rudder.
The war of nerves can begin
The battle between the three boats at the head of the race – Skipper MACIF (Loïs Berrehar/Charlotte Yven), Mutuelle Bleue (Corentin Horeau/Pauline Courtois) and Région Bretagne – CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan/Anne-Claire Le Berre) is thrilling. ! At midday on Saturday, the leading trio was within 7 miles. Tiny differences that suggest an exciting finish in Saint-Barthélemy, where the fleet is expected next Friday. And by then a great naval battle on the Atlantic approaching the Caribbean arc, where each error could be paid for in cash in the standings.
Each ranking can hold its own set of surprises. In the lead since last Tuesday, Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre, whose rudder was damaged in the middle of the week by a collision with a UFO (unidentified floating object), lost their leadership overnight from Friday to Saturday at the advantage of Skipper MACIF, the new leader ahead of Mutuelle Bleue at 3.9 miles, and Région Bretagne – CMB Performance at 7 miles. “In the past few hours, we have been sailing in a south-westerly flow, in the trade winds and we are going to have a very fast tack which will take us towards Saint-Barthélemy. We continue to confront the others in this leading trio. We are sailing on sight, in a Figaro in the middle of the Atlantic, it's completely crazy! We have the impression of fighting as if we were on an internship in Port-La-Forêt. And it's been going on for 12 days, ”said Loïs Berrehar at the session this morning. “It’s cool to take control of the standings again. Even though we lost them, we've been in ambush and in sight since last Sunday. Now, we will try to keep the leadership until the end! It's going to be a bit mental. And then it's a great race, you will have to be fast until the end. There will surely be a few small moves to play, gybes, variations in the strength of the trade wind and in the direction of the wind, which can open up the game a little. Until the finish, we will try to make the best use of the shifts in the wind and do everything to stay ahead! ". Wedged a little further south on the great circle (the direct route), Région Normandie (Guillaume Pirouelle / Sophie Faguet), which is progressing at a similar average speed around 10 knots, is 4th, at 23.6 miles.
advantage to the north
The leading trio, which is progressing north of the great circle, is slightly ahead of its pursuers, a little further south. According to Éric Péron, who scored two podiums on the double-handed transatlantic between Concarneau and Saint-Barthélemy (2nd in 2012 with Erwan Tabarly, 3rd in 2008 with Miguel Danet) in eight appearances between 2004 and 2021, "Skipper MACIF, Mutuelle Bleue and Brittany Region – CMB Performance have a clear advantage given the trend of rotations to come until the finish. It will be difficult for Région Normandie to get back on top of the fleet because there are not many rotations that could allow them to catch up. For me, the big trend until the finish is pretty stable. There are no elements or phenomena that will greatly disturb the flow. On the other hand, as always, there will be many small variations to exploit. The latter, quite difficult to have on a map, are of the order of 5 to 10 degrees. And casually, with a lot of lateral difference, especially between the Normandy Region and the Brittany Region - CMB Performance, it can quickly go for miles so nothing is lost", analyzes Éric Péron, who is still looking for a sponsor. to line up at the start of the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest next January. And who is organizing in parallel to participate in the Transat Jacques Vabre aboard his Ocean Fifty French Touch.
The key according to him: the fine analysis of each small rotation, often linked to grains or simply intensities. “I think you will have to be very, very fine and trust your electronics, set yourself good limit caps to play these oscillations. Nevertheless, there is a psychological phenomenon. We are on edges very close to St Barth. It is very difficult, especially with three boats that are almost in sight, to initiate a gybe to return north. Today, I think they have made up their mind not to play these oscillations and that it will be more like driving, ”he says.
Find the right compromise
Each decision, each choice of sail, each detail could therefore have a crucial impact on the order of arrival in Gustavia (Saint-Barthélemy). “The war of nerves can begin. For me, it's going to be played out in this self-sacrifice to keep the boat moving as quickly as possible, especially with the right compromise. We have also seen since last night that the compromises are different between Région Bretagne – CMB Performance and Skipper MACIF who are a little higher. It may be related to the use of different types of spinnakers and surely also to a different strategy. I find what Gaston and Anne-Claire are doing, who are trying to slide to be inside all the rotations to come and thus avoid gybes, to be interesting. It’s a great compromise,” continues Éric Péron.
On the other hand, it is more difficult to know, according to him, what strategy the Region of Normandy, Cap Ingélec (Camille Bertel/Pierre Leboucher, 5th at 45.9 miles) and EDENRED (Basile Bourgnon/Violette Dorange, 6th at 59.2 miles) have put in place. “I think Guillaume and Sophie are probably going to be a little opportunistic on the big trends, the two boats aft too. I think it will still be difficult, given the conditions to come, to make up more than 40 miles while being behind in the axis in fairly stable situations”.
The fleet expected on May 19 in Saint-Barthélemy
Given the conditions announced, the first nine should remain grouped until the arrival in Saint-Barthélemy, where they are expected next Friday. According to Francis Le Goff, race director, “the whole fleet could arrive in the space of eight hours! ". Which duo will put their name on the race list? Verdict in less than a week!
The war of nerves can begin
The battle between the three boats at the head of the race – Skipper MACIF (Loïs Berrehar/Charlotte Yven), Mutuelle Bleue (Corentin Horeau/Pauline Courtois) and Région Bretagne – CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan/Anne-Claire Le Berre) is thrilling. ! At midday on Saturday, the leading trio was within 7 miles. Tiny differences that suggest an exciting finish in Saint-Barthélemy, where the fleet is expected next Friday. And by then a great naval battle on the Atlantic approaching the Caribbean arc, where each error could be paid for in cash in the standings.
Each ranking can hold its own set of surprises. In the lead since last Tuesday, Gaston Morvan and Anne-Claire Le Berre, whose rudder was damaged in the middle of the week by a collision with a UFO (unidentified floating object), lost their leadership overnight from Friday to Saturday at the advantage of Skipper MACIF, the new leader ahead of Mutuelle Bleue at 3.9 miles, and Région Bretagne – CMB Performance at 7 miles. “In the past few hours, we have been sailing in a south-westerly flow, in the trade winds and we are going to have a very fast tack which will take us towards Saint-Barthélemy. We continue to confront the others in this leading trio. We are sailing on sight, in a Figaro in the middle of the Atlantic, it's completely crazy! We have the impression of fighting as if we were on an internship in Port-La-Forêt. And it's been going on for 12 days, ”said Loïs Berrehar at the session this morning. “It’s cool to take control of the standings again. Even though we lost them, we've been in ambush and in sight since last Sunday. Now, we will try to keep the leadership until the end! It's going to be a bit mental. And then it's a great race, you will have to be fast until the end. There will surely be a few small moves to play, gybes, variations in the strength of the trade wind and in the direction of the wind, which can open up the game a little. Until the finish, we will try to make the best use of the shifts in the wind and do everything to stay ahead! ". Wedged a little further south on the great circle (the direct route), Région Normandie (Guillaume Pirouelle / Sophie Faguet), which is progressing at a similar average speed around 10 knots, is 4th, at 23.6 miles.
advantage to the north
The leading trio, which is progressing north of the great circle, is slightly ahead of its pursuers, a little further south. According to Éric Péron, who scored two podiums on the double-handed transatlantic between Concarneau and Saint-Barthélemy (2nd in 2012 with Erwan Tabarly, 3rd in 2008 with Miguel Danet) in eight appearances between 2004 and 2021, "Skipper MACIF, Mutuelle Bleue and Brittany Region – CMB Performance have a clear advantage given the trend of rotations to come until the finish. It will be difficult for Région Normandie to get back on top of the fleet because there are not many rotations that could allow them to catch up. For me, the big trend until the finish is pretty stable. There are no elements or phenomena that will greatly disturb the flow. On the other hand, as always, there will be many small variations to exploit. The latter, quite difficult to have on a map, are of the order of 5 to 10 degrees. And casually, with a lot of lateral difference, especially between the Normandy Region and the Brittany Region - CMB Performance, it can quickly go for miles so nothing is lost", analyzes Éric Péron, who is still looking for a sponsor. to line up at the start of the ARKEA ULTIM CHALLENGE - Brest next January. And who is organizing in parallel to participate in the Transat Jacques Vabre aboard his Ocean Fifty French Touch.
The key according to him: the fine analysis of each small rotation, often linked to grains or simply intensities. “I think you will have to be very, very fine and trust your electronics, set yourself good limit caps to play these oscillations. Nevertheless, there is a psychological phenomenon. We are on edges very close to St Barth. It is very difficult, especially with three boats that are almost in sight, to initiate a gybe to return north. Today, I think they have made up their mind not to play these oscillations and that it will be more like driving, ”he says.
Find the right compromise
Each decision, each choice of sail, each detail could therefore have a crucial impact on the order of arrival in Gustavia (Saint-Barthélemy). “The war of nerves can begin. For me, it's going to be played out in this self-sacrifice to keep the boat moving as quickly as possible, especially with the right compromise. We have also seen since last night that the compromises are different between Région Bretagne – CMB Performance and Skipper MACIF who are a little higher. It may be related to the use of different types of spinnakers and surely also to a different strategy. I find what Gaston and Anne-Claire are doing, who are trying to slide to be inside all the rotations to come and thus avoid gybes, to be interesting. It’s a great compromise,” continues Éric Péron.
On the other hand, it is more difficult to know, according to him, what strategy the Region of Normandy, Cap Ingélec (Camille Bertel/Pierre Leboucher, 5th at 45.9 miles) and EDENRED (Basile Bourgnon/Violette Dorange, 6th at 59.2 miles) have put in place. “I think Guillaume and Sophie are probably going to be a little opportunistic on the big trends, the two boats aft too. I think it will still be difficult, given the conditions to come, to make up more than 40 miles while being behind in the axis in fairly stable situations”.
The fleet expected on May 19 in Saint-Barthélemy
Given the conditions announced, the first nine should remain grouped until the arrival in Saint-Barthélemy, where they are expected next Friday. According to Francis Le Goff, race director, “the whole fleet could arrive in the space of eight hours! ". Which duo will put their name on the race list? Verdict in less than a week!
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So great to see the happy faces and enthusiasm in their voices!
KevinS
Senior Insider
An update from the Transat Paprec webpage:
Below 1000 miles
No change this morning at the head of this 16th edition of the Transat Paprec: Skipper MACIF (Loïs Berrehar / Charlotte Yven) is still leading the dance, ahead of Mutuelle Bleue (Corentin Horeau / Pauline Courtois), 2nd at 3.8 miles from the leader and Brittany Region – CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan/Anne-Claire Le Berre), 3rd at 5.6 miles in the 08:00 ranking. This morning, these three boats were the only ones to have passed the 1000 mile mark before the finish. [At the time of posting this update from the Transat Paprec website at 05:00 SBH time, a 4th boat, Région Normandie, had also, passed the 1000nm mark, and the 5th and 6th place boats, Cap Ingélec and Edenred were within 5 and 15nm of it.]
The leading trio, wedged further north than the small group of pursuers made up of Région Normandie (Guillaume Pirouelle / Sophie Faguet, 4th), Cap Ingélec (Camille Bertel / Pierre Leboucher, 5th) and EDENRED (Basile Bourgnon / Violette Dorange, 6th ), begins to glimpse a potential podium. But there is still a long way to go and the game is far from over knowing that the leader still had 973.3 miles to cover at the 08:00 clock this morning. “The pressure is on this small group, which is held in less than 6 miles. Skipper MACIF no longer sees Région Bretagne – CMB Performance on the AIS, but there is only an 8-mile gap laterally, which is very small on the scale of a transatlantic race. They will meet again as and when they are recalibrated, says Francis Le Goff, the Race Director. They are sailing in 12-13 knots of wind, with small variations that they will exploit as soon as they can turn a little to starboard”. For them, the challenge will be to find small solutions to escape and get rid of their direct competitors.
If the leading trio seems unbeatable, nothing is yet lost for the small group of pursuers led by Région Normandie. "It's up to Guillaume and Sophie, and Camille and Pierre to play the game now. They have to find very small moves to tighten the lateral because when we do their routing to Saint-Barthélemy, the 32.7 mile delay of Région Normandie on Skipper MACIF translates into a 1 hour gap at the finish . There are still possibilities for these two boats to find solutions to catch up. They will have to try”, analyzes Francis Le Goff.
The challenge of the day: to manage the small starboard adjustments well before the very, very long port leg which will take them almost to the finish line, with, according to the latest routings, a last small adjustment at the end of the journey. "It's going to be interesting to watch how they are going to replace the small starboard tacks as the day progresses to snatch up the small miles needed to get this long port tack," says Francis Le Goff.
The Sunday morning Weather Forecast from the Transat Paprec website:
Weather forecast for Sunday May 14
General situation
This Sunday, moderate and irregular easterly trade winds at the southwestern edge of an anticyclone centered at 1031 hPa in the vicinity of the Azores.
Monday, moderate easterly trade winds on the southwestern edge of a vast anticyclone centered at 1030 hPa south of the Azores archipelago.
Tuesday, east-southeast trade winds on the southwestern edge of an anticyclone centered at 1028 hPa to the south-west of the Azores archipelago.
Weather conditions at sea on the Transat Paprec
Last night, in a moderate easterly trade wind, many sailors gybed on their way, after a long descent on the port tack towards the south-west. The objective of the sailors is to settle in well in latitude and to anticipate a rotation of the wind towards the east-south-east at the start of the week. They are looking to have the best angle to the wind possible to make a last long tack at a good pace towards Saint-Barthélemy
At 7 a.m. this Sunday morning, we observed the fine performance of Skipper MACIF (Loîs Berrehar / Charlotte Yven) who managed to distance Mutuelle Bleue (Corentin Horeau / Pauline Courtois) by 6 miles and Région Bretagne-CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan / Anne -Claire Le Berre) of 8 miles. If nothing is certain, the leader's choice of gybes, which are a little different from his two competitors, paid off last night. Région Normandie (Guillaume Pirouelle / Sophie Faguet) and Cap Ingélec (Camille Bertel / Pierre Leboucher) who were sailing on a more southerly course 34 and 53 miles from the leader, still couldn't manage to catch up on the leading trio.
Sunday May 14:
This Sunday, the sailors at the head of the fleet will see the trade winds lose some of their intensity (12-13 knots) and become a little more irregular, oscillating between 90 and 105°. Sailors must therefore be extra vigilant and carry out sail maneuvers and adjustments. The ranking remaining very tight for the first 3 competitors, a slight negligence or a badly operated maneuver can have serious consequences. With an air mass becoming a little more unstable, they also have to watch out for the passage of squalls which can give sudden variations in the wind, both in strength and direction. As you move west, the sea becomes a little less choppy and tidier with an easterly swell of around 1.5m coming from the stern of the sailboats. At the back of the fleet, Race for Science – Verder (Alice De Pfiffer / Edouard Golbery) operated gybes last night after a long tack with a south-westerly heading, so as not to go too far south and find a good compromise between trajectory and speed. The last Hélios Group – From Léman to the Ocean (Arnaud Machado / Lucie Queruel) continued a long tack on a course that became more and more southerly with a speed close to 10 knots. He should put the turn signal on the right so as not to stray too far from the road that leads to the Antilles.
In the evening and night from Sunday to Monday, a large part of the sailors will see the trade winds regain a little strength. The average wind of 13-14 knots at the start of the night will reach 16 knots at the end of the night, which will allow the sailors to gain some speed. They will have to negotiate their last gybes before embarking on a long tack on an almost direct course towards Saint-Barth. The skippers located at the back of the fleet will also benefit from an acceleration of the trade winds to gain a little speed.
Monday, May 15:
This Monday, progressing towards the West Indies, the bulk of the troop will see the trade wind turn right to move east-south-east. It will lose a little intensity compared to the previous night by becoming more irregular between 12 and 14 knots. They will have to settle in as well as possible in latitude to be able to operate a long tack descending towards Saint-Barthélemy. Some will operate the last gybes before embarking on this final descent which will be very trying for the skippers. They will have to not let go and take into account the squalls which will become a little more frequent and active, which can play spoilsports. With a ranking that will continue to be very tight at the head of the fleet, the game is far from over and this last part of the transat promises to be thrilling to follow.
During the night from Monday to Tuesday, the trade wind will be very irregular with jolts and a wind which could temporarily weaken to 7-8 knots. This will require sail trims and maneuvers that some may benefit from over others.
Tuesday, May 16:
This Tuesday, the east-southeast trade wind will provide a good wind angle for most skippers who will be sailing on port tack towards Saint-Barthélemy. They will have to remain very vigilant in this wind which will be quite unstable in terms of strength and direction. The presence of sargassum and more frequent grains will also require constant attention. Progression speeds will tend
to drop for the bulk of the fleet, the last competitors being a little more privileged with a slightly more sustained and less irregular trade wind.
Cyrille DUCHESNE, METEO CONSULT
Below 1000 miles
No change this morning at the head of this 16th edition of the Transat Paprec: Skipper MACIF (Loïs Berrehar / Charlotte Yven) is still leading the dance, ahead of Mutuelle Bleue (Corentin Horeau / Pauline Courtois), 2nd at 3.8 miles from the leader and Brittany Region – CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan/Anne-Claire Le Berre), 3rd at 5.6 miles in the 08:00 ranking. This morning, these three boats were the only ones to have passed the 1000 mile mark before the finish. [At the time of posting this update from the Transat Paprec website at 05:00 SBH time, a 4th boat, Région Normandie, had also, passed the 1000nm mark, and the 5th and 6th place boats, Cap Ingélec and Edenred were within 5 and 15nm of it.]
The leading trio, wedged further north than the small group of pursuers made up of Région Normandie (Guillaume Pirouelle / Sophie Faguet, 4th), Cap Ingélec (Camille Bertel / Pierre Leboucher, 5th) and EDENRED (Basile Bourgnon / Violette Dorange, 6th ), begins to glimpse a potential podium. But there is still a long way to go and the game is far from over knowing that the leader still had 973.3 miles to cover at the 08:00 clock this morning. “The pressure is on this small group, which is held in less than 6 miles. Skipper MACIF no longer sees Région Bretagne – CMB Performance on the AIS, but there is only an 8-mile gap laterally, which is very small on the scale of a transatlantic race. They will meet again as and when they are recalibrated, says Francis Le Goff, the Race Director. They are sailing in 12-13 knots of wind, with small variations that they will exploit as soon as they can turn a little to starboard”. For them, the challenge will be to find small solutions to escape and get rid of their direct competitors.
If the leading trio seems unbeatable, nothing is yet lost for the small group of pursuers led by Région Normandie. "It's up to Guillaume and Sophie, and Camille and Pierre to play the game now. They have to find very small moves to tighten the lateral because when we do their routing to Saint-Barthélemy, the 32.7 mile delay of Région Normandie on Skipper MACIF translates into a 1 hour gap at the finish . There are still possibilities for these two boats to find solutions to catch up. They will have to try”, analyzes Francis Le Goff.
The challenge of the day: to manage the small starboard adjustments well before the very, very long port leg which will take them almost to the finish line, with, according to the latest routings, a last small adjustment at the end of the journey. "It's going to be interesting to watch how they are going to replace the small starboard tacks as the day progresses to snatch up the small miles needed to get this long port tack," says Francis Le Goff.
The Sunday morning Weather Forecast from the Transat Paprec website:
Weather forecast for Sunday May 14
General situation
This Sunday, moderate and irregular easterly trade winds at the southwestern edge of an anticyclone centered at 1031 hPa in the vicinity of the Azores.
Monday, moderate easterly trade winds on the southwestern edge of a vast anticyclone centered at 1030 hPa south of the Azores archipelago.
Tuesday, east-southeast trade winds on the southwestern edge of an anticyclone centered at 1028 hPa to the south-west of the Azores archipelago.
Weather conditions at sea on the Transat Paprec
Last night, in a moderate easterly trade wind, many sailors gybed on their way, after a long descent on the port tack towards the south-west. The objective of the sailors is to settle in well in latitude and to anticipate a rotation of the wind towards the east-south-east at the start of the week. They are looking to have the best angle to the wind possible to make a last long tack at a good pace towards Saint-Barthélemy
At 7 a.m. this Sunday morning, we observed the fine performance of Skipper MACIF (Loîs Berrehar / Charlotte Yven) who managed to distance Mutuelle Bleue (Corentin Horeau / Pauline Courtois) by 6 miles and Région Bretagne-CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan / Anne -Claire Le Berre) of 8 miles. If nothing is certain, the leader's choice of gybes, which are a little different from his two competitors, paid off last night. Région Normandie (Guillaume Pirouelle / Sophie Faguet) and Cap Ingélec (Camille Bertel / Pierre Leboucher) who were sailing on a more southerly course 34 and 53 miles from the leader, still couldn't manage to catch up on the leading trio.
Sunday May 14:
This Sunday, the sailors at the head of the fleet will see the trade winds lose some of their intensity (12-13 knots) and become a little more irregular, oscillating between 90 and 105°. Sailors must therefore be extra vigilant and carry out sail maneuvers and adjustments. The ranking remaining very tight for the first 3 competitors, a slight negligence or a badly operated maneuver can have serious consequences. With an air mass becoming a little more unstable, they also have to watch out for the passage of squalls which can give sudden variations in the wind, both in strength and direction. As you move west, the sea becomes a little less choppy and tidier with an easterly swell of around 1.5m coming from the stern of the sailboats. At the back of the fleet, Race for Science – Verder (Alice De Pfiffer / Edouard Golbery) operated gybes last night after a long tack with a south-westerly heading, so as not to go too far south and find a good compromise between trajectory and speed. The last Hélios Group – From Léman to the Ocean (Arnaud Machado / Lucie Queruel) continued a long tack on a course that became more and more southerly with a speed close to 10 knots. He should put the turn signal on the right so as not to stray too far from the road that leads to the Antilles.
In the evening and night from Sunday to Monday, a large part of the sailors will see the trade winds regain a little strength. The average wind of 13-14 knots at the start of the night will reach 16 knots at the end of the night, which will allow the sailors to gain some speed. They will have to negotiate their last gybes before embarking on a long tack on an almost direct course towards Saint-Barth. The skippers located at the back of the fleet will also benefit from an acceleration of the trade winds to gain a little speed.
Monday, May 15:
This Monday, progressing towards the West Indies, the bulk of the troop will see the trade wind turn right to move east-south-east. It will lose a little intensity compared to the previous night by becoming more irregular between 12 and 14 knots. They will have to settle in as well as possible in latitude to be able to operate a long tack descending towards Saint-Barthélemy. Some will operate the last gybes before embarking on this final descent which will be very trying for the skippers. They will have to not let go and take into account the squalls which will become a little more frequent and active, which can play spoilsports. With a ranking that will continue to be very tight at the head of the fleet, the game is far from over and this last part of the transat promises to be thrilling to follow.
During the night from Monday to Tuesday, the trade wind will be very irregular with jolts and a wind which could temporarily weaken to 7-8 knots. This will require sail trims and maneuvers that some may benefit from over others.
Tuesday, May 16:
This Tuesday, the east-southeast trade wind will provide a good wind angle for most skippers who will be sailing on port tack towards Saint-Barthélemy. They will have to remain very vigilant in this wind which will be quite unstable in terms of strength and direction. The presence of sargassum and more frequent grains will also require constant attention. Progression speeds will tend
to drop for the bulk of the fleet, the last competitors being a little more privileged with a slightly more sustained and less irregular trade wind.
Cyrille DUCHESNE, METEO CONSULT
