Cape 31 Med Circuit at the Porquerolles Race - Days 2 & 3
by Tor Tomlinson Cheney 1 Jun 2025 05:54 BST
28 May - 1 June 2025
2025 Cape 31 Med Circuit Round 2 at Porquerolles © Mauro Melandri Zerogradinord
Porquerolles continued to deliver variety and fun in Round Two of the 2025 Cape 31 Med Circuit, with 16 teams from 12 nations racing across sparkling seas, building breeze, and tactical light-air challenges.
Over the past two days, a growing number of teams have stepped onto the podium — a sign of the class's depth and competitiveness.
Day Two - Three Races, Three Winners
Saturday brought classic Mediterranean conditions with sunshine and a steady sea breeze. Three races were sailed, and the story of the day was all about fresh faces taking the spotlight:
- Kalantis, brand new to the class, opened with their first Cape 31 win in Race 3.
- La Pericolosa, helmed by reigning European Champion Christian Schwoerer, delivered a strong performance in Race 4.
- Black Seal, back in the fleet and looking sharp, powered to victory in Race 5.
MeerBlick, chartered by Cape 31 newcomer Nikolai Burkart, quietly pieced together a consistent day to edge into the overall lead heading into Sunday.
Day Three - Light Airs, Big Moves
Saturday dawned with softer conditions. The light breeze allowed for two tactical races before shutting down for the day, but that didn't slow the intensity on the water.
In Race 5, Give Me Five bounced back from a challenging start with a decisive call to the right-hand side of the course. Helmsman Adrien Follin explained:
"It was not a good start for me, but we decided to go to the right and the wind shifted that way. From there, it was easier to control the fleet. The team did a really good job, stayed calm and in control."
They took the win ahead of Stella Maris (AUT) in second and Shotgunn (IOM), maintaining their position in the top three overall.
In Race 6, the light breeze saw two of the fleet's newest teams battle it out in clear air — MeerBlick and Firstings. Both boats broke away from the pack, but it was MeerBlick who claimed their first bullet of the regatta.
After the win, Nikolai Burkart, brand new to the Cape 31 class, shared:
"It was an amazing start—really strong off the line. We were relatively fast upwind, and then had a really good fight with the Portuguese, which luckily we could decide for ourselves. Compliments to the team and to Chapo—what an amazing tactical way to sail this race. It actually felt a bit like our home lake, with no wind at all. It was great. I love it."
Pacific Yankee, one of the American entries racing in Europe for the first time, took third — marking their best result of the regatta so far.
The Stage is Set. With four teams taking wins over the past two days and the leaderboard tightening, Monday's final showdown promises high drama and tactical mastery. With light breeze again forecast, anything can still happen in the race for the Porquerolles Race title.
Results after Day 3:
| Pos | Sail No | Boat Name | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1 | 71 | MeerBlick | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ‑7 | 1 | 12 |
| 2 | 56 | La Pericolosa | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 4 | ‑16 | 20 |
| 3 | 80 | Kalantis | 4 | 8 | 1 | 4 | ‑12 | 5 | 22 |
| 4 | 65 | Stella Maris | 6 | 4 | 7 | ‑11 | 2 | 4 | 23 |
| 5 | 5 | GIVE ME FIVE | ‑14 | 7 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 31 |
| 6 | 62 | Pacific Yankee | ‑11 | 9 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 33 |
| 7 | 33 | Terrible Joy | ‑12 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 5 | 12 | 36 |
| 8 | 59 | Black Seal | 7 | ‑16 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 9 | 40 |
| 9 | 35 | Shotgunn | ‑15 | 12 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 42 |
| 10 | 77 | Firstings | 1 | ‑15 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 43 |
| 11 | 74 | Warrior Won | 13 | 6 | 9 | ‑15 | 8 | 7 | 43 |
| 12 | 66 | halbtrocken 3.1 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 13 | ‑14 | 10 | 44 |
| 13 | 31 | Adrenaline | ‑16 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 45 |
| 14 | 63 | Black Battalion | 8 | 13 | 13 | 7 | ‑16 | 8 | 49 |
| 15 | 27 | Black Star | 10 | 5 | 14 | 12 | ‑15 | 11 | 52 |
| 16 | 2 | IMAGINE | 9 | 11 | ‑16 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 60 |