Brit Phil Sharp leading the Normandy Channel Race

Normandy Channel Race course © Normandy Channel Race

The 27 Class40s competing in the Normandy Channel Race have all made it safely across the English Channel this morning after a simply perfect passage. Making headway downwind since rounding the compulsory Saint Marcouf course mark last night after 18:00 GMT, the duos happily launched into a sprint under large gennaker, making good speed on a single tack, bound for the Solent, a sound that separates the Isle of Wight from the British mainland. And the honours go to the English sailor, Phil Sharp (Imerys), who was first to make it through the eastern gate into the Solent as dawn broke on this first day of racing.

Teamed up with Frenchman Sam Manuard, he's leading the way in front of what is still a compact group of Class40s, with no fewer than 16 boats bunched together within a 9- mile area. Phil Sharp took control on rounding the Saint Marcouf mark thanks to a neat tactical move to the north of the island. The Channel hop, negotiated on starboard tack in a steady south-easterly breeze, was essentially a long drag race that enabled some of the especially honed boats like Solidaires en Peloton-ARSEP (Thibaut Vaucher-Camus - Fred Duthil), Talès II (Pablo Santurde - Fidel Turienzo), Earendil (Catherine - Pourre - Antoine Carpentier) and V and B (Maxime Sorel - Hugo Dallhenne) to really show what they were made of. Given the low tidal coefficient, this morning the duos' progress has barely been inconvenienced by the currents, which are often strong in this part of the world. As such, they should be able to quickly extract themselves from the Solent this morning before linking onto the English phase of this stunning course, reaching in a southerly breeze as they hug the coast.

Overnight Quotes:

Thibaut Vauchel -Solidaires En Peloton/ARSEP
"This Normandy Channel Race is already living up to its promise of an intense race. The results are mixed because after a great start, our speed has dipped at times due to the seaweed."

Pablo Santurde -Talès II
"A very fine start with good conditions and a really fun course. We were sailing alongside Thibaut (Solidaires En Peloton-ARSEP) for an hour. It's incredible to be sailing so close to the other competitors with these boats..."

Marc Lepesqueux – Sensation Class40
"This first night aboard Sensation Class 40 has been really enjoyable. It's good to be on the water aboard our Sabrosa in these mild conditions and under spinnaker. The night has been favourable to us too with a good position on the race zone and confirmation that we're very much in the game."

Cartography and morning and evening news can be viewed at www.normandy-race.com/index/followrace.

www.normandy-race.com