Hunting for knots

THE THIRD NIGHT

The fleet passed the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) off the northwestern tip of Spain yesterday evening. All crews then rounded Cape Finisterre in the wake of DMG MORI Academy (Laure Galley and Kévin Bloch). The teams who had opted for an eastern route and those further west have now regrouped and are racing down the Portuguese coast together. As of the 7:00 AM ranking, Quentin Vlamynck and Audrey Ogereau (Les Étoiles Filantes) are in the lead—but it’s an incredibly tight race!

© LEF NST / Les étoiles filantes

A Key Milestone in the Race

This was one of the first major tactical passages of the Transat Paprec—and as expected, it was a tightly contested one. Since last night, competitors have had to navigate Cape Finisterre in relatively mild conditions. Their mission: head as far south as possible to escape a developing high-pressure ridge and pick up the Portuguese trade winds as soon as possible.

A Fleet All Bunched Up

Two main strategic options were in play: one group led by Laure Galley (DMG MORI Academy) opted for the east, while another group—including Charlotte Yven and Hugo Dhallenne (Skipper Macif)—chose the western route. By the end of the day, the western group seemed slightly faster. However, after crossing east of the TSS, everyone came back together.

The rounding of Cape Finisterre was incredibly close: DMG MORI Academy passed in the lead, with just a four-minute advantage over Skipper Macif. Eleven boats rounded the cape within the next hour, and the entire fleet passed within just three hours—a testament to the high level of competition in this year’s race!

Tactical Times Ahead

Race Director Francis Le Goff shared his excitement:

“We were wondering who would get there first—it was that close. In the end, they all passed almost at the same time!”

He also noted that the western boats had “a slightly better angle” in the afternoon, but everyone picked up speed again after rounding Finisterre, where the pressure returned.

Even though progress this morning is moderate (around 7 knots), there's no room for letting up. The fleet is facing a light wind zone that will likely last all morning. This unstable area seems to be sagging southward, and escaping it quickly could give some teams a real edge.

“The first ones to get through will likely find stronger winds first,” Francis added.

Now is the time for big tactical moves: boats are gybing, repositioning, and staying fully focused. Who will come out ahead in this “race within the race”? We’ll find out as the day goes on!

VOICES FROM THE NIGHT

Laure Galley and Kévin Bloch (DMG MORI Academy):

“We’re really happy with our start! We positioned ourselves quite far south in the front on the first night, which naturally placed us in the south-southeast of the fleet behind the front. We found ourselves near Demain, CMB Océane, and Wings of the Ocean.We preferred to stay in that leeward position, unlike the other Lorient-based crews who bore off west. The southern position was a bit riskier during the light patch on the second night, but it worked out and we took the lead. Now, we need to manage the transition at Cape Finisterre and the axis of the ridge well. The first to get through it will likely break away along Portugal as they pick up more breeze. We can't wait to hoist the spinnaker!”

Quentin Vlamynck (Les Étoiles Filantes):

“In the Bay of Biscay, it was a mix of strategy, fleet positioning, and fast sailing under the gennaker. On Tuesday, some boats went more to the east, while we decided to stay west—closer to the TSS and farther from the coast.After Cape Finisterre, we need to quickly get moving again along the Portuguese coast and catch the wind. We should start feeling the breeze again tomorrow afternoon. It’s going to be a long stretch—but really interesting!”

 

LIFE ON BOARD

The Transat Paprec skippers aren’t entirely alone out on the ocean!

• Alexis Thomas and Pauline Courtois (Wings of the Ocean) spotted a whale, while Mathilde Géron (Demain), Anaëlle Pattusch (Humains en action), and Cindy Brin (Cap St Barth) were treated to dolphin sightings.

• Romain Bouillard (Décrochons la lune) opened gifts from children in a partner association, including a toy police car “because we got flashed for speeding at night,” he joked.

• Pier-Paolo Dean (Banques Alimentaires) filmed the Spanish coast before sharing some cured sausage with teammate Tiphaine Rideau.

Despite the intensity of the race, smiles remain all around—like Ellie Driver, grinning wide at the helm of Women's Engineering Society.