By midday on this third day of racing, the bulk of the fleet competing in the 15th CIC Normandy Channel Race had rounded Land’s End and are now targeting the south coast of Ireland. Making headwind in an E’ly breeze of 12-13 knots, the strategic choices are limited in this direct sprint towards the next course mark embodied by Tuskar Rock. Restricted to a single tack beam reach to make the Irish lighthouse, the skippers must stay focused on the trimming and very attentive to their heading if they are to claw back the slightest metre in relation to their closest rival. At the head of the fleet and beyond, there is everything to play for. Though Fabien Delahaye and Benjamin Schwartz have gained an edge for now, the top trio are bunched within just a mile and a half, the Class40s Legallais, Groupe SNEF and Sogestran – Seafrigo constantly jockeying for position. They also have to keep an eye on their rear-view mirror too though as Project Rescue Ocean, IBSA and Everial are laying in ambush astern. Those well-versed in the plot lines of the CIC Normandy Channel Race will know that no lead is ever a certainty and nothing is a losing battle given the numerous twists and turns that punctuate this course.
Contacted at the midday radio link-up, Quentin Le Nabour, skipper of the Class40 Bleu Blanc, summed up the situation out on the racetrack to a T: “For once we’re in the Celtic Sea with wonderful weather and glorious sunshine. We’re sporting T-shirts and sunnies and we’re on a long tack under Code 0 as far as Tuskar, neck and neck with our little playmates. We’re playing around with some quite delicate tweaking in a bid to claw back a few metres in relation to the others by hand-steering and trimming.” The situation is likely to remain the same until the fleet approaches the Smalls TSS, with the wind set to shift round to the north-east accompanied by a considerable drop in the latter’s strength. To round off this outward passage across the Celtic Sea, 4 to 6 knots of breeze is predicted. However, once the Tuskar Rock mark is rounded in the middle of the night, the sailors can expect a long downwind sprint in 10-12 knots of breeze. At that point, they’ll be able to slip along at pace along the coast of southern Ireland before hooking back onto some more boisterous conditions for their return trip across the English Channel.
In contact with the gang of scows and just four miles astern of Viranga, Trim Control and Free Dom are leading the chase among the sharps. Neck and neck, the two Class40s are not letting up as they slug it out for the top spot. “It’s game on with number 115. We’re shoulder to shoulder. We’re really striving to pass in front of one another. We’re hoping they’ll make a mistake but they’re not making many. We’re going to try to stay in contact and see if an option comes our way. They really are excellent competitors. It’s motivating and it really adds a bit of spice to the race,” explains Thibaut Lefevere, skipper of number 139 Free Dom. Evidence, if need be, that the ranking for the sharp bow boats is not to be sniffed at and that their ranking is just as valued as that of the scows.
At the tail end of the fleet, Jangada 40 is gradually making up her deficit on Ose Ta Victoire and is poised to reach Wolf Rock so that she too can begin her climb up to Ireland.
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