Raphaël Lutard to set off on Mini Transat La Boulangère
by Team Arkema 24 Jun 2019 14:23 BST
6.50 Arkema 3 © Vincent Olivaud / Team Arkema Lalou Multi
In under three months, Raphaël Lutard will set off on the Mini Transat La Boulangère, a solo transatlantic race between La Rochelle and Marin in Martinique, on board the Mini 6.50 Arkema 3.
To ensure his preparation is as near on target as possible, the young skipper has taken part in virtually every Mini Class event since the beginning of the year, and continues to clock up nautical miles to broaden his experience on board his 6.50m prototype. With the Trophée MAP and the Mini Fastnet now behind him - the latter as a double-handed race with Quentin Vlamynck -, Raphaël is confident in his preparation and, above all, has validated his qualification for the Mini Transat La Boulangère 2019.
Raphaël Lutard, skipper of the Mini 6.50 Arkema 3: "The weather conditions we encountered in the early season events were not really the most encouraging ones for the boat, with light winds quite often in the race course areas. I'm still working at familiarizing myself with the prototype, the workings of automated devices. And this Mini 6.50 has real potential. The last two events took place in quick succession: first the Trophée MAP where I had a great placing at the start of the race, and then the Mini Fastnet we've just completed with Quentin. The conditions were really favorable to reach good speeds, up to 23 knots on several occasions.
"We finished in seventh place in this Mini Fastnet despite a few technical glitches which of course were a bit of a setback. Quentin and I worked very well together. We had a lively race, managed to stay among the leading boats, and it's especially satisfying as by the end of this event, we were qualified for the Mini Transat. The plan is coming together well in my preparation for my first transatlantic race, and, what's more, sailing solo!"
Quentin Vlamynck, future skipper of the Multi50 Arkema 4 currently under construction, gives his perspective on Raphaël and his progress: "I hadn't raced on Arkema 3 since April last year! Even though the basics are the same, the boat has changed quite a bit and the modifications made over the winter are bearing fruit. In the Mini Fastnet, we pushed ahead, and Raphaël has a real competitive spirit. He handles his boat as a good sailor would, takes care of it, and makes good tactical choices. I'll keep on helping him prepare, both on land and at sea, in the run-up to the Mini Transat race."
Passing on their expertise is indeed in the DNA of Team Arkema Lalou Multi!