Slugging it out in this 14th CIC Normandy Channel Race the fleet has reached south-west England and is heading back along the English Channel. On the approach to the Scilly Isles, the sailors had to go around the Sevon Stones TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme). Positioned more or less east on the racetrack according to the number and depth of counter-tacks, split the fleet in half with a passage to the north or south of this zone forbidden to the racers. The duos to the north initially had the advantage, as they were better positioned to round Land’s End and benefited from a favourable current. The Class40s negotiated this passage to perfection and Alla Grande Pirelli (181) is still looking in great shape, along with Café Joyeux (176), IBSA (186) and Groupe SNEF (178), all four of them on a direct line and ideally placed to tackle the climb up to Ouistreham. Or are they…? Project Rescue Ocean (162) is currently leading the fleet on the southern charge, and the crew, made up of Axel Tréhin and Nicolas Troussel no less, has its foot to the floor…
Once the end of Cornwall was in their wake, another strategic choice came into play for the skippers. Should they remain on the south coast of England and benefit from more manageable seas and less current, at the risk of having less breeze, before picking their way south again to get around the Casquets TSS. Such was the option chosen by seven competitors headed by the inimitable Italo-French duo of Ambrogio Beccaria / Kévin Bloch. Alternatively, should they adopt a more direct trajectory, immediately launching their way across the English Channel on the quest for more breeze but rougher seas. This is the strategy that a large part of the fleet has opted for, with Project Rescue Ocean (162) leading the charge and currently positioned at the top of the leader board. In every case, the next few hours of racing are set to be boisterous for all the protagonists as they make headway upwind in heavy seas and around 26-27 knots of NE’ly breeze, gusting to as much as 36 knots…
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