©Alexis Courcoux
The suspense is at its peak in the 16th edition of the Transat Paprec, the outcome of which will be decided in Gustavia (Saint-Barthélemy) this Friday after nearly three weeks at sea. At midday, the leading trio Région Bretagne – CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan/Anne-Claire Le Berre), who took the lead of the race last night at the expense of Skipper MACIF (Loïs Berrehar/Charlotte Yven, 2nd at 7.5 miles) and Mutuelle Bleue (Corentin Horeau/Pauline Courtois, 3rd), were 7.9 miles apart. Behind, we also witnessed a great fight between Région Normandie (Guillaume Pirouelle/Sophie Faguet, 4th at 22.1 miles) and Cap Ingélec (Camille Bertel/Pierre Leboucher, 5th at 24.1 miles), who did not give up and tried to catch up with the leading pack.
“A positive dynamic on board” (F. Le Goff)
The night from Monday to Tuesday was mainly marked by a change of leader. Located 5 miles further north laterally than its direct competitors, Région Bretagne – CMB Performance (Gaston Morvan/Anne-Claire Le Berre) won its bet and took back control of the race for the moment. "Going to starboard is trickier. It's not a tack that brings you closer to Saint-Barthélemy, it's more northerly and it's not easy to do, but it's a significant advantage", explains Yann Chateau, the Deputy Race Director, who believes that their lead could last unless the duo had to face recalcitrant squalls.
"Skipper MACIF and Mutuelle Bleue are very close. They're going to have to watch out for Région Bretagne – CMB Performance, which is generally a little more offensive and has been trying things for the past two days. They have a positive dynamic on board. The other two are going full speed ahead but they are all following each other, observes Race Director Francis Le Goff. Behind them, they have a bit of air. It will be less difficult for them to negotiate the light wind zone that those in front are crossing.
EDENRED, “assumed risk-taking”
Positioned south of the great circle (the direct route), EDENRED (Basile Bourgnon/Violette Dorange), 6th at 31.8 miles from the leader at the 2:00 p.m. checkpoint, continues to work hard and is trying everything to try to get back to the front of the race. "We've been in the same routine with the front-runners for too long. We wanted to show that we knew how to do something else and an opportunity opened up in front of us. There was light wind in front of our bows and we said to ourselves that we could try to go around to the South and go for stronger wind." And the EDENRED skipper assured us: "obviously, it's a risk but we accept it. We're not here to finish sixth! We're four days from the end, the boats are at the same speed, they're aligned with each other. The only way to gain places is to have a different positioning, to lay our cards on the table and bet that we will have a slightly better wind, declared Basile Bourgnon during this morning's call. It's almost the moment when we have the most fun in the end because we try things. We were almost starting to get bored for a week! On a transatlantic like this, it would have been a shame not to try things. We're taking a big risk but we're going to have fun! And then I think it's part of our DNA with Violette: when we see opportunities opening up, we have to go for it! "
"During the race, we quickly forget the essentials" (E. Golbery)
©Alexis Courcoux
If for those behind, the podium no longer seems possible, the mixed duos continue their efforts to pick up precious miles and grab the best possible place at the finish. This is particularly the case for AGEAS – Ballay – Cerfrance- Baie de Saint-Brieuc (Maël Garnier/Julia Courtois). "We are trying to beat the speed records, which worked quite well because today the situation made our little comrades in front rather slow. We are not giving up!", wrote Maël Garnier yesterday evening.
For their part, Alicia de Pfyffer and Edouard Golbery (Race for Science – Verder) hope to keep their 10th place. "We are watching each other from afar with Groupe Hélios, I hope that we will maintain the routing speed despite the sea level because downwind in 11 knots the 145° announced can be complicated. Arnaud and Lucie should have more wind on average. We steer continuously, we play the small variations in the wind and we try to make the boat work as best we can. We're not going to give up in any case!", confided Edouard Golbery last night, who is savoring his luck at sea.
"It may seem obvious but we quickly forget the essentials when we're racing. When I was in Paris in recent years, I had the fear of the tarmac. I woke up with burning joints that seemed to tell me to run away, I dreamed of the ocean all the time. As an actor, you live in 9m2 in a dirty neighborhood with 50 euros a week to eat, the job is wonderful but it's hard. I savor days like today because I hoped for them for a long, long, long time. I know that the Figaro is a professional circuit and that we have to talk about competition and performance, but there is certainly another dimension hidden behind all that. It is still an incredible opportunity that we have to set off on these boats alone or as a crew across the ocean. It is an inner journey, each time, there is something that relates to identity, discovering yourself or finding yourself detached from social and family pressures, from the boxes that we put ourselves in, far from everything we really exist, simply. "
Fast arrivals on Friday
According to the latest routings, the first nine could arrive in Gustavia in less than 10 hours this Friday. "Given the tiny gaps between the competitors, the difference could be made on a squall, a cloud that can stop the boats or conversely make them start ahead. It must be starting to stress them out. We are witnessing a great race ahead, there will be a match until the finish," explains Francis Le Goff. Until then, the race promises to be exciting to follow on the water and each new ranking could hold its share of surprises!
