Tom Dolan on Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan lies eighth at Tour de Bretagne's midpoint
by Tom Dolan 8 Jul 2021 00:59 BST
Ireland's Tom Dolan © Tom Dolan Racing
After four of the eight races which constitute the Tour de Bretagne à la Voile, Ireland's Tom Dolan who is racing Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan with coach Tanguy Leglatin, lies in eighth place in the 32 boat fleet.
Buoyed by his first ever podium position in the Figaro Beneteau 3 class, finishing third on Sunday's Saint Malo to Saint Quay Portrieux passage race, Dolan and Leglatin today returned a solid ninth place on the longest leg of the contest's eight races, the 133 nautical miles stage from Saint Quay Portrieux round the westernmost tip of Brittany to Douarnenez.
After the fleet split not long after Tuesday's start it was an inshore group which included Smurfit Kappa-Kingspan that profited on the change of tide in the very light wind conditions. But things did not go so well for the Dolan Leglatin duo. By Roscoff they had slumped into the 20s but in the rock-hopping, tricky tidal sailing they were able to recover.
"It is not going too bad, we are pretty happy to be eighth overall as there are a lot of the good guys have been up and down whereas we have been relatively consistent." Said Dolan sounding tired after the 23 hour overnight race which proved especially intense given the light winds, strong tides and regular dousing from the rain showers.
"It was great to get that first podium place, it was in light, shifty downwind conditions and we sailed quite well. Now if we can keep regular we should do OK. We are just 14pts off the podium so it all there to do."
The fifth leg is a 46 mile stage from Douarnenez to Dolan's home port of Concarneau which starts and finishes Thursday.
"It would be nice to have a good result into our home port for sure, but I'm not getting carried away. We will do our best and see what happens. It should be raced downwind in 5 to 15 knots of wind. We'll take that."