The start has kept its promises: a North/Northeast stream blowing at 20 knots with 25/27 knots gusts. One or two reefs in the mainsail and a reef in the solent, that 's what most of the Minis did this morning.
Great start at 11:14 am south-west off La Rochelle with a windward mark 2 nm in the north of the line, just off the Port des Minimes. The German Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de) tacked in the lead for prototypes, followed a few minutes later by Sébastien Rogues (716 - Eole Generation - GDF Suez) and Nicolas Boidevezi (Défi G.D.E). Three men that call the tune and that we should count on... Also, in their wake Thomas Normand (787 - Finance de l'Echiquier) on his brand new design Manuard 2010, Henri Patou (551 - Ecartip) and the Czech Milan Kolacek (759 - Follow Me).
On the side of Series boats, Jean-Marc Allaire (464 - Baker Tilly - AG2R La Mondiale) is calling the tune followed by Xavier Macaire (472 - Starter). Impossible not to think about the "demonstration" made by Xavier in the first leg of the Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 2009 when he took the lead with Francisco Lobato, ahead of the prototypes in the downwind breeze. Xavier likes these conditions; we can guess it at first sight. Some starts were quite something to see along the axis of the bridge of Ré Island, where the sea became rougher and there was heavy air... The distance gaps after a few nautical miles are already consistent between those who know that they need to whip to tease the podium and those who remain wise...
Dismast, breakages and returns to port...
We know it: the wind conditions are ever more demanding and this departure has had its share of technical misfortunes. The most painful are definitely for Aurélien Ducroz (417 - Nissan), which dismasted before having reached the mark. The freeride World champion is logically very disappointed to see this adventure end so quickly.
Hard blow for the Spanish Jorge Maden Ruiz as well (636 - Casio G-Shock), which has dismasted on his way to La Rochelle to solve a technical problem... Dirty trick! David Raison is also disappointed to have to throw the towel with his Magnum. This boat has undoubtedly shattered the conventional wisdom... A broken chock of a rudder and he was forced to return to port. On the way back, he damaged his hull ... David prefers to withdraw, we are sorry for him... Return to the port also for Milan Kolacek. In the leading group, Milan has had a schnorkel problem (ed, a system that allows to fill in the ballast aboard) and the water has completely filled the cockpit. With all its electronics flooded, Milan must withdraw from the race too. Also note: Pascal Chombard de Lauwe (721 - Xanlite) which had an autopilot problem forcing him to return to the port will leave soon again, Fabienne Robin (708 - Plume d'Ange) who also returned to port for pilot damages has left La Rochelle already. Ryann Finn (252 - Myrna Minkoff) is on his way back to the port to repair his pilot, main sail batten and running backstay.
Great start at 11:14 am south-west off La Rochelle with a windward mark 2 nm in the north of the line, just off the Port des Minimes. The German Jorg Riechers (753 - Mare.de) tacked in the lead for prototypes, followed a few minutes later by Sébastien Rogues (716 - Eole Generation - GDF Suez) and Nicolas Boidevezi (Défi G.D.E). Three men that call the tune and that we should count on... Also, in their wake Thomas Normand (787 - Finance de l'Echiquier) on his brand new design Manuard 2010, Henri Patou (551 - Ecartip) and the Czech Milan Kolacek (759 - Follow Me).
On the side of Series boats, Jean-Marc Allaire (464 - Baker Tilly - AG2R La Mondiale) is calling the tune followed by Xavier Macaire (472 - Starter). Impossible not to think about the "demonstration" made by Xavier in the first leg of the Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 2009 when he took the lead with Francisco Lobato, ahead of the prototypes in the downwind breeze. Xavier likes these conditions; we can guess it at first sight. Some starts were quite something to see along the axis of the bridge of Ré Island, where the sea became rougher and there was heavy air... The distance gaps after a few nautical miles are already consistent between those who know that they need to whip to tease the podium and those who remain wise...
Dismast, breakages and returns to port...
We know it: the wind conditions are ever more demanding and this departure has had its share of technical misfortunes. The most painful are definitely for Aurélien Ducroz (417 - Nissan), which dismasted before having reached the mark. The freeride World champion is logically very disappointed to see this adventure end so quickly.
Hard blow for the Spanish Jorge Maden Ruiz as well (636 - Casio G-Shock), which has dismasted on his way to La Rochelle to solve a technical problem... Dirty trick! David Raison is also disappointed to have to throw the towel with his Magnum. This boat has undoubtedly shattered the conventional wisdom... A broken chock of a rudder and he was forced to return to port. On the way back, he damaged his hull ... David prefers to withdraw, we are sorry for him... Return to the port also for Milan Kolacek. In the leading group, Milan has had a schnorkel problem (ed, a system that allows to fill in the ballast aboard) and the water has completely filled the cockpit. With all its electronics flooded, Milan must withdraw from the race too. Also note: Pascal Chombard de Lauwe (721 - Xanlite) which had an autopilot problem forcing him to return to the port will leave soon again, Fabienne Robin (708 - Plume d'Ange) who also returned to port for pilot damages has left La Rochelle already. Ryann Finn (252 - Myrna Minkoff) is on his way back to the port to repair his pilot, main sail batten and running backstay.
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