Finistère Sail Tour: The calm after the storm

Shortened course for the night leg to Concarneau

Since the start of this 30 th edition of the Finistère Sail Tour, the weather has been playing tricks on the 106 competing boats. After the swell and the storm, the wind has now dropped. As such, the boats will take the start of the night leg to Concarneau in light airs over a shortened course.

The fleet cast off from the pontoons of Douarnenez shortly before 16:00pm and motored to the start line, which will be set before the Raz de Sein at the end of the day. The boats will set sail on a shortened course of around 64 miles on a direct course to Concarneau.

Drying out, DIY and victualling

The racers made the most of today's sunshine in Douarnenez to dry out their things and effect repairs on those boats put to the test by yesterday's boisterous sail. On the programme aboard "Asphodele" is an ascent of the mast to repair the halyard; the snap shackle having given up the ghost from the pressure of the wind during the race... However, this didn't stop the First 29 being the first to complete the leg. Romain Prime and his crew are now ready to tackle the nocturnal leg.

Meantime, some of the other crews are taking rather different precautions in preparation for a long night at sea in the light airs. " To race with friends, you need to have food among friends, says Anthony Marchand, who's sailing on the A40 "Stamina" with his mates, familiar faces on the Tourduf. We're expecting another complicated leg in the calm conditions, and when there's no wind, we're particularly fond of our food... So we're treating ourselves".

All eyes on the ranking

Despite the vagaries of the weather over the past week, the crews have in no way forgotten that there's a race to be won, as is the case aboard "Cheyenne". Indeed, the crew of 'Indians', which is competing in the youth ranking, has every intention of posting a solid performance tonight. " We finished 4 th on Monday, then 6 th yesterday. We're a bit disappointed by the last race so today we're going to give our all," they proclaim before setting off.

Morning arrival in Concarneau

The results of the nocturnal leg will be revealed over the course of tomorrow morning as the crews make the port of Concarneau. After an afternoon of relaxation, the competitors will round off the week with some windward-leeward courses in the bay before making Port-la-Forêt on Saturday evening.

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