16th CIC Normandy Channel Race - Day 4

16th CIC Normandy Channel Race © Jean-Marie Liot

Virtually all the fleet has now rounded the compulsory Chaussée de Sein passage mark off the west coast of Brittany. The Class40 Bleu Blanc Planète Location (205) is currently bringing up the rear after a pit stop in Roscoff to repair a cracked upper rudder bearing to port.

Meantime, the top ten Class40s have already rounded Ireland's renowned Fastnet lighthouse. The crew aboard Esprit Large (209) were first to reach the northernmost point of the course at 10:58 hours French time today. As such, Corentin Douguet and Axel Tréhin were also the first to begin hurtling down towards the Scilly Isles, slaloming through the fleet still making their way up to Fastnet. Sogestran - Seafrigo (197) and Legallais (199) are hot on their heels respectively 11 and 15 nautical miles astern.

After a tough night out on the racetrack due to a collision involving the Class40 NST Cabinet Z (191) and the airlifting by helicopter of her crew, as well as the retirement of Trimcontrol (190), there has been another regrettable retirement today in the form of Ose ta victoire (100).

The sailors competing in the 16th CIC Normandy Channel Race have been savouring the milder weather over the past few hours. Such is the case for Maxime Bourcier, skipper of Free Dom, who was contacted at today's radio link-up: "It feels good to have a day's sunshine before we sink our teeth into the next little front awaiting us at Fastnet."

Safe to say then that the Class40s are suffering and there is plenty of damage aboard. The crews are making the most of this calmer section to lick their wounds and recharge their batteries: "It feels pretty good after yesterday's battle royal. We're getting some rest, eating, drying things out, checking over the boat and effecting repairs..." admits the sailor from Reunion Island.

It's the same scenario among the leaders as Corentin Douguet explains: "We're experiencing some technical issues but I think that's true for everyone. It's par for the course."

The leaders are currently dropping down to the Scilly Isles at speed and will soon return to the English Channel. "We're attacking the final sprint. It's taken us 3 days to get to Fastnet and it'll take just 36 hours to get back to Caen," says the skipper of the Class40 Esprit Large (209). Right now, even though the duos are focused on trimming the boat on this high-speed reach, they're all too aware that there is still everything to play for in the quest for outright victory.

"Negotiating Guernsey, the Alderney Race and the rounding of the Cotentin peninsula is bound to be complicated. Experience has taught us that things never go smoothly so we can expect lots of twists and turns," acknowledges Corentin Douguet.

This is especially true given that there are two particularly tenacious Norman crews right on their tail who are very familiar with these complex waters. As a result, the skippers of Sogestran - Seafrigo (197) and Legallais (199) are sure to be sailing with their foot to the floor right to the wire. The denouement of what is already an historic edition is set to be revealed tomorrow, Thursday 29 May, late in the day or as night falls.

Of note is the fact that there have been two further retirements to lament among the CIC Normandy Channel Race fleet today. Firstly #EMPOWHER (178) which, having launched their life raft whilst the crew of the Class40 NST Cabinet Z were airlifted by helicopter, were unable to recover it, forcing them to retire and make for Lorient.

Further back, racking up a number of technical issues, including a minor leak which knocked out their service batteries, the Lurton brothers on Ose ta victoire (100) have also decided to retire from the event.

Event website: normandy-race.com/en