The Ocean Fifty and Class40 fleets face a tactical 320 miles race to Lorient, on what is very much a short, Figaro like leg through some very testing waters. SW to SSW winds will still top 30kts at times tonight and playing the changes of tide will be key for both fleets. The ebbing tide changes at Cap de la Hague (off the top of the Cherbourg peninsula) at around 1800hrs this evening so there is a choice to stay south into the rocky shore or offshore where the positive tide will last longer but the negative tide builds faster. For the Ocean Fifty’s the Alderney Race and which side of Jersey to pass might be key. But bear in mind there, and on the coast there are many, many pots and rocks, so getting the risk-reward balance is important.
Here are some reactions from the dock this morning.
Charles Caudrelier (FRA) ULTIM Maxi Edmond de Rothschild: ” At the start we are expecting SSW’ly winds of between 25-25 knots. That is good news as here in Le Havre the seas will be decent for the start. We will be a bit protected, but that won’t last long. As soon as we get to the Alderney Race at the tip of the Cherbourg Peninsula, we’ll be into the rough stuff. We’re expecting a lot of winds during the first couple of days, but above all, conditions are going to be very unstable. The first night is going to be rough with heavy seas – 4-5m waves are forecast in the Channel with squalls. We’re going to have to find the balance between speed and safety.
Pablo Santurde del Arco (ESP) Class 40 IBSA: “Since the decision yesterday morning we feel a bit more comfortable. It is a big relief to stop in Lorient. This first leg will still be tough, we hop to be able to get into Lorient in good shape. I think we will start in an open upwind then with a tricky passage tonight at Cap de le Hague (off the tip of the Cherbourg peninsula) and the Raz Blanchard (Alderney Race) there will be some current there, so that could be the trickiest part. The breeze will be between 25 and 30kts in the night, with strong current and so the sea will be quite nasty, so that is the trickiest part of the leg, so we hope to go through the Raz Blanchard in good shape. The sea state is going to be nasty there and that will be the worst bit. The main goal is not to break anytig and get into Lorient in good shape. The time is counted over two legs so we don’t expect big gaps on this leg and so I think the most important thing is to get in in good shape.
Pam Lee (IRL) Class 40 ENGIE DFDS BRITTANY FERRIES: “I think it is a good decision. And for me what was stressing me above everything was that decision making, do we try to push through@ do we stop into somewhere and if so where? So that decision is out of our hands and we can just focus on racing. It will be nasty still. We know the course pretty well. The Figaro racers will know the course rather better. It is a little Figaro race. And we know the course. It can be nasty with wind against current.”
Alister Richardson (GBR) Class 40 Tquila: “We are good, happy not to be going into that weather so looking forward to a little jaunt to Lorient. The boat is in good shape and we are in good shape, so let’s go.”
Pip Hare (GBR) IMOCA Medallia: “For us it was not looking so bad, we would have seen six hours of heavy breeze and then a further three to six hours of heavy sea state but then. We were looking at risk profile and it was OK, but I am speaking to Szabi (Hungarian IMOCA skipper Szabolcs Weöres) and he was going to be 150 miles or so behind on a slower boat. I think the decision of the race officers reflects the fact we have a diverse IMOCA fleet and that is one the great things about the IMOCA class and something we should not lose. And that is someone who is lucky enough to have a high performance foiler now but came up in the second oldest boat in the fleet in the Vendée Globe I value and respect that decision.”
It will be windy and unstable. The start question is whether we go J2 for ease of the J1 iniitally which is a but more open. We have tide til 5 and it turns at Le hague then there are two options you can call there to go in and rock hopping into less current. If you go out wide you have positive current longer but when it changes it is immediately stronger, so we are looking at these options. The try and cut across that, then go to the top of Casquets where there might be some shelter behind it rock hopping maybe. And then the next step is to get down to the French coast again to be there for the early change of tide – at Ushant in the day – so midnight, playing the shifts on the way down. ETA 1 day 14 hours. Ushant negative tide but during the day so then (pointe du) raz positive tide but tide against wind, so then upwind until after the Pointe du Raz then it will lift and get kite.