Offshore Racing

In light airs of up to 10kn, the 72-boat Mini fleet progressed only slowly yesterday. This morning UTC, the leading Tanguy Bourroulec FRA was still 50nm from the arrival, closely followed by Antoine Perrin FRA (backlog 1,7nm) and Irina Gracheva RUS (5,2nm) both with options for victory. This trio was the first to touch some fresher winds this morning and will hardly be caught by the immediate pursuers. ----- Same situation in the Series Minis where the first three are separated by 5nm only. With 60nm left to the finish, Léo Debiesse FRA is on the position one ahead of Fabrice Sorrin FRA and Quentin Riché FRA. ----- The first finishers of leg 1 will cross the line at Les Sables this afternoon. ----- The race tracker and the news.

After the Corona break, the Minis 650 started their sailing season in Les Sables d'Olonne, but the classic long-distance race to the Acores and back follows a different route this year. Three round courses have been defined off the French Atlantic Coast, and yesterday by noon, the start to the first leg was given. ----- In light winds, the 72 Solo skippers had completed one-third of the distance by this morning UTC. Tanguy Bouroullec FRA was leading in the Protos, closely followed by Antoine Perrin FRA 1,2nm back. With a 5nm deficit followed Irina Gracheva RUS on rank 3. ----- The first Series-Mini of Fabrice Sorin FRA was only 3nm behind the leading Proto, with Léo Debiess FRA on 2nd 0,2nm in arrears. Lennart Burke GER on 3rd was not far behind. ----- The race tracker, the daily news and the video of the start.

Among the biggest risks for Open 60 solo skippers are collisions with whales often sleeping on the surface of the seas. Recently, an alert system has been developed to wake up and chase the animals away with acoustic signaling. After Fabrice Amedeo FRA and Boris Herrmann GER, Alex Thomson GBR has now installed such a device as well. ----- The report (in French).

Just finishing the Vendée-Arctic-Race, Isabelle Joschke FRA/GER, a rookie on the Open 60s, qualified for her first Vendée Globe, a hard-fought success, as she finished the race in spite of a broken boom. Here the interview. In November, six women will be among the participants, a new record! ----- The report.

Yesterday late in the morning UTC, the line honors of the Drheam Cup in La Trinité-sur-Mer FRA went to the Ultime-Trimaran 'Edmond de Rothschild' with Franck Cammas/Charles Caudrelier FRA 2 hours in front of Thomas Coville FRA and his team on 'Sodebo'. ----- In der Class 40, Ian Lipinski POL finished first 3 hours ahead of Luke Berry FRA. ----- After a close duel, Sam Goodchild GBR had the upper hand on Tom La Perche FRA in the Solo-Figaro-3-Class, arriving 45 minutes earlier. ----- The last participants will reach the finish by noon UTC today. ----- The race viewer with ranking lists and the news.

After 40 hours underway, all fleets are on a course back to France. ----- In the Ultime Trimarans, Franck Cammas FRA/Charles Caudrelier FRA on 'Edmond de Rothschild' have an 87nm lead on 'Sodebo' with Thomas Coville FRA. ----- In Class 40, Ian Lipinski POL remains on position one, but his advantage on Nicolas Groleaux FRA is only 2nm with 190nm to sail to the finish. ----- In the Solo Figaro 3, Sam Goodchild GBR is the first 6nm ahead of Paul Quiroga FRA. ----- The first finishers are expected at the arrival in La trinité-sur-Mer by noon today. ----- The race tracker and the news.

94 boats departed from Cherbourg yesterday noon in light wind racing for the 2020 Dhrem Cup. ----- The Ultime-Trimarans, sailing on the long course, already reached the Northern waypoint South of Irlands this morning UTC. Yves Le Blevec FRA with his 'Actual' is leading, 12nm ahead of Thomas Coville FRA with his 'Sodebo'. In Class 40, Jan Lipinski POL is in the first position. ----- The closely packed Figaro 3 Solo Skipper fleet is sailing the short course of 400nm. At the waypoint off the most Southwestern point of England, Tom Laperche FRA is in the lead one mile ahead of Pierre Quiroga FRA. ----- The race tracker and the news.

By noon, the start to the Dhream Cup, a 420-mile-race across the English Channel, will be given off Cherbourg FRA. Considering the very light winds announced, the course has been shortened. Instead of rounding the Fastnet Rock, a virtual waypoint South of Ireland must be touched. ---- The preview. ---- The start will be broadcast live on French TV and live stream on the official website.

Tomorrow off Cherbourg FRA, the start to the first big Offshore Event after the Corona lockdown will be given with over 100 Teams split in 11 classes, among them the Ultime-Trimarans, the Class 40, the Minis or the Figaro 3. The Figaro 3 sail another Act of the French Solo Offshore Championship. ----- The race leads from Cherbourg across the English Channel and back to La Trinité-sur-Mer, ETA Tuesday. ----- The start will be broadcast on French TV3. ----- The preview.

The Corona crisis has delayed the preparations of the teams registered so far for the Ocean Race (formerly Volvo Ocean Race), and now additional entries were lodged. The organizers have therefore decided to postpone the start of this round-the-world-race by one year to 2022. The news.

This morning UTC, Miranda Merron FRA will cross the finish line as 17th and last-ranked of the Vendée Arctique. We reported on the close victory of Jérémy Beyou FRA ('Charal') yesterday. ----- The final test race for the Vendée Globe has herewith been successfully terminated with the conclusion, that the foilers have proven themselves in different conditions. In addition, several participants were able to secure their missing qualifying miles for the Vendée Globe, such as Isabelle Joschke FRA/GER, who was able to keep up with her 12-year-old Open 60, but then fell back due to a broken boom. ----- The news.

After a fast finish, Jérémie Beyou FRA on his 'Charal' terminated the inaugural Vendée Arctique yesterday evening after 10 days and 6 hours as winner. Only 50 minutes later, Charlie Dalin FRA ('APIVIA') crossed the line on the 2nd position. Thomas Ruyant FRA followed another 20 minutes behind on 3rd. The best woman Samantha Davis GBR on the 4th place had a 1hr 44min backlog on 'Charal'. 12 of the 17 solo skippers still in the race had finished by this morning UTC, among them Boris Herrmann GER on rank 7. ----- The race tracker, the news and the videos.