True test

Thomas Ruyant was trying out the second version of his foils on LinkedOut.

Time for Oceans underwent a thorough six-month-long makeover in the Multiplast yard with foils, in particular, being fitted, a new coach roof and new rudders.

As for L’Occitane en Provence, this was her second appearance after Armel Tripon was forced to retire early from the race back in July. Sam Manuard’s highly original design clearly has a lot of potential.

“We came here to do battle and understand the situation, which is exactly what we have achieved in all sorts of points of sail and strengths of wind,” said Armel Tripon skipper of L’Occitane en Provence.

“We were able to see that the boat isn’t lacking anywhere in speed and that I was up there in general, so it has all been very positive. It’s great to be able to say that we have a boat that is fast, but it is only when you see how you measure up against others that you can really be sure of that.

“This event has put us in a good position in terms of racing before the Vendée Globe. Just in terms of where to position ourselves and which trajectory to take. I haven’t raced for a while and you forget things very easily. It was an event that we simply could not miss.”

A lot of excitement

“The standard of preparation that has gone into the boats is excellent. It is true that the conditions were more like summer, but everyone showed determination and there was, fortunately, no damage to report,” noted Antoine Mermod, President of the IMOCA on the pontoon in Lorient.

After things got going with the runs, which saw victory go to L’Occitane with a speed of 23.35 knots, the main event involving 48 hours of racing will be remembered for its uncertain outcome right up to the finish.

“The first night was very fast with impressive speeds close to 30 knots in winds that did not get above 20 knots,” added Antoine Mermod.

“In the end, it was Charal that came out on top, but APIVIA was for a long time out in front, with LinkedOut threatening and l’Occitane en Provence never far behind. It was wide open and we saw too that foilers like PRB and Initiatives-cœur, which were sailed very well, can still get all the way up there.”

It was exciting all the way to the finish in this 48-hour event. Kevin Escoffier, who looked like the race was his for the taking, fell into a trap in the flat calm seas. Over the final few lengths, Jérémie Beyou grabbed the victory. He was followed by Samantha Davies, Isabelle Joschke and Clarisse Crémer. All three dealt well with the light airs off Pen Men Point and turned things around at the finish.

“We got off to a fantastic start. Conditions were really ideal today with winds between five and 12 knots. A bit of wind and plenty of sunshine … It was more like racing around Antigua than sailing around Groix,” said Kevin Escoffier, skipper of PRB.

“We gave it our all. That gave us a boost because on Saturday I got punished at the finish of the 48-hour race. Obviously, it’s always nice to win, as you try to give it your best each time.

Escoffier finished, “It is encouraging and has shown our rivals that we need to be taken seriously.”

“We are up there and we haven’t broken anything. There is a month and a half left for us to get ready now for the start of the Vendée Globe.”

A clearer picture of the fleet

We are now getting a much clearer picture of the various groups within the fleet. At the top of the table, we have seen that many boats have been able to compete with Charal.

Just behind, there is a group of four older IMOCAs from the 2018 or 2019 generation that have been fitted with foils and still have plenty to show us: Initiatives-cœur, MACSF, PRB and Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco.

The Azimut Challenge will become part of the IMOCA Globe Series Championship from 2021.

“It is down to us to help this event grow to make it a must for as many boats as possible. We have already started working with the organisers with that in mind,” Antoine Mermod said to conclude.

imoca.org