Normandy Channel Race 2026 Day 3 - Battle at the top at Wolf Rock

Sogestran-Seafrigo during the Normandy Channel Race 2026 © Jean-Marie Liot / CIC NCR2026

After a challenging exit from the Solent, but a magnificent spectacle at sunrise, which could have trapped a good portion of the fleet, the Class40s were able to begin their descent down the southwest coast of England towards Land's End.

In the morning, the crews were informed that the out-and-back trip in the Celtic Sea, rounding Lundy Island, would not take place. Indeed, given the development of the very strong low-pressure system expected to affect the English Channel from Tuesday to Thursday, the return to Land's End could not be guaranteed in acceptable wind conditions, and especially in terms of sea state, for the entire fleet. Up ahead, a fierce battle is raging between a small group within a few miles of each other.

The Wolf Rock lighthouse was reached at 7:15 AM today by LEGALLAIS, followed 0.3 miles behind by SOGESTRAN-SEAFRIGO. The sheets are now out for the leaders, who are sailing at 18 / 20 knots towards the Roches de Portsall mark, 90 miles away.

The run down the English coast to its tip took place in around 20 knots of wind on a course now well-known to those familiar with the race. Midway along the route is the infamous Start Point, a name that is somewhat misleading, having often been a refuge for competitors caught by the current and brought to a standstill. A few options further south were quickly ruled out, and a tightly packed fleet spent the day and night trying to gain a few hundred meters on their neighbors on the water. On Monday morning, the first boat, ASSOCIATION RÊVES, skippered by Loïc Fequet and Yves Courbon, had to retire due to electronic problems on boat number 156, which had recently been relaunched after several years of inactivity. Loïc's offshore experience and fighting spirit are well known, and it was only with great reluctance that he had to make this decision.

During the night and into the early morning in Penzance Bay, between Lizard Point and Land's End, the competitors engaged in a fierce tactical battle upwind, tacking to reach the mark marked by the Wolfrock lighthouse offshore. LEGALLAIS was the first to reach the mark around 7:15 a.m., closely followed by SOGESTRAN-SEAFRIGO. Once the lighthouse was rounded, speeds quickly increased, with the leaders reaching nearly 20 knots at the time of writing. And the gaps are widening for the chasing duo behind the leaders: CUSTOPOL skippered by Axel Trehin and Antoine Carpentier, the Spanish crew of VSF SPORTS Pep Costa and Pablo Santurde, the Italian competitor MACCAFERRI FUTURA skippered by Luca Rosetti and Pierre Brasseur, and also BLEU BLANC PLANETE LOCATION with Quentin and Thierry Chabagny, and ZEISS, SOLANO, and HIRSH - CENTRAKOR, to name just the group of nine Class40s within 10 miles of each other as they approached Wolfrock.

A fast, fast race is expected with 20 to 25 knots of wind forecast for the next few hours, with the first boats arriving around 12:00 for the Portsall mark.

To follow the race: normandy-race.com/suivre-la-course