Alan Roberts - Relishing the intensity of Leg 2 of The Ocean Race Europe
by Ed Gorman / IMOCA Globe Series 21 Aug 21:35 BST
Team Holcim-PRB in The Ocean Race Europe Leg 2 © Anne Beaugé / Holcim-PRB / The Ocean Race
The second leg of The Ocean Race Europe has been an action-packed thriller with the lead changing hands multiple times, some superb fast foiling conditions and a couple of dramatic transitions that have seen the race all but re-start.
On top of that, the sprint from Portsmouth on the English south coast to Cartagena in Spain has also featured The Ocean Race Europe's speciality - the "fly-by" timed three-hour stopover at Matosinhos in Portugal, where Paul Meilhat's Biotherm arrived first, followed just over 40 minutes later by Yoann Richomme's Paprec Arkéa.
In third place at that brief pause in the drama, it was Team Holcim-PRB with its star-studded crew of Franck Cammas and Nico Lunven of France, Alan Roberts of Great Britain and Rosalin Kuiper of the Netherlands. This was one of the two boats that had to retire from leg one from Kiel to Portsmouth after a crash just after the start.
With serious hull damage, it was a race against time to make the start of Leg 2 and now the team is relishing the opportunity they have created for themselves to get back to the racing. On this leg they have been right up there, challenging Meilhat's crew and the team on Paprec Arkéa and they were disappointed to be third at Matosinhos.
Roberts played a key role in coordinating the repair work and he says the fact that the team has been able to recover is giving them a big boost. "I think it's one of those scenarios where actually the adversity of the situation brought the team together and has made everyone stronger," he said in a message from on board as Holcim-PRB approached the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. "So everyone's in good spirits and it's really cool to be here with the boat back at 100% and I'm really enjoying being out racing."
Roberts, 35, says the intensity of this leg reminds him of Figaro racing - something he knows a lot about having competed in that championship nine times. "It feels like a Figaro race for multiple reasons," he said. "We're all so close - the racing's intense, every decision counts and the boats are full of my old Figaro chums - people like Sam Goodchild, Paul Meilhat, Will Harris and Justine Mettraux. But this is what we're here for - we love the competition, we love the racing and that's how we get better.
"It's also like a Figaro with fast-paced, intense short stopovers, when it's all about recovery and managing yourself and your team. So yes, we're revelling in this opportunity to take part in this fantastic race."
Roberts says Team Holcim-PRB can struggle in big downwind conditions against the two Antoine Koch/Finot Conq sisterships, Allagrande MAPEI Racing and Paprec Arkéa, and also against Team Malizia, but he is hoping the final stages of this leg in the Mediterranean in lighter winds will favour his boat.
But he says the Med could be difficult. "The wind's going to get light and tricky and the Med looks unpredictable, so there are lots of opportunities for overtaking and that could be good for us. We've got good weather experience on board, so hopefully we can take maximum advantage out of this," he said.
On the leading boat, Paprec Arkéa, the Portuguese sailor Mariana Lobato, who won this race in 2021 in the VO65 Class under Richomme's leadership, enjoyed the chance to sail into home waters as her crew held onto second place at Matosinhos. "It was a really tough night, but we never stopped believing," said Lobato, a former Match Racing world champion. "We kept pushing and managed to fight back to second place and we were really happy to arrive with that."
Like Roberts, she has been enjoying the sheer intensity of the racing on this the longest leg of The Ocean Race Europe which counts for double-points. "The level is really high. Every team has what it takes to lead. We have had some great moments and others, in some weak positions where it's been tougher to hold our position. But we have stayed patient and focused on making the most of the conditions when they swing our way," she said.
Lobato, 37, says fatigue is beginning to affect her fellow crew on Paprec Arkéa - alongside skipper Richomme are fellow Frenchmen Corentin Horeau and Pascal Bidégorry - but the atmosphere on board remains strong. "Seriously," she said, "it's a pleasure to sail with these guys."
And like Roberts, Lobato expects the Med to throw up some difficult conditions in the closing stages when, just as at Matosinhos, another seven points are available for the first crew to arrive. "Of course, approaching Gibraltar is always unpredictable," she said. "The wind conditions can be really tricky - we are just staying positive and focused."
Behind the leading trio, Team Malizia skippered by Great Britain's Will Harris, is holding fourth place, just under 60 miles behind Paprec Arkéa, with Allegrande MAPEI Racing skippered by Ambrogio Beccaria in fifth position, another 58 miles back. The team on Be Water Positive led by Pip Hare of Great Britain are in sixth place, 166 miles behind the leader. In seventh position Team Amaala skippered by Alan Roura of Switzerland has not yet set sail from Matosinhos.
Race tracker: www.theoceanrace.com/en/racing/tracker