o Let talk the bosses: Shipman and Lobato!
o Breakages, but no dropped out to deplore
o Tomorrow at Cap Finisterre (Nord-West of Spain)
Undoubtedly, the first 24 hours ran at express speed should begin to tire the 85 sailors‘ bodies and souls. As different routing programs augured the Minis cross the Gulf of Biscay at full speed, driven by a strong Northeast flow. The fleet randomly met problems and breakage and soon the first returns to the port occurred for the unfortunate ones, while the head of the fleet is battling hard. Because of the fatigue, the race’s strategies are pushier. In the lead, the best prepared sailboats with the most sharp skippers at the helm, are determined to enjoy these moments when race comes into heads and bodies are not fully manned or tuned with the elements. Francisco Lobato (Roff Tmn No. 607) and Xavier Macaire (Masoco Bay No. 472) in series, Henri-Paul Schipman (Maison de l’avenir Urbatys No. 716) and Thomas Ruyant (Faber France No. 667) in prototypes perfectly illustrate this state of mind. At the helm under spinnaker, they constantly flirt with 12-13 knots, and settle pressure on the rest of the fleet.
HP as High Performances
At over 10 knots average speed, the 6.50 prototypes sailed downwind across the Bay of Biscay. „HP“ Schipman, 1st since the middle of the night, gives the tone and the tempo of this first stage without showing any sign of weakness. Stuck to the helm, he attacks, leaving the control of his Lombard to the autopilot only for a coffee and an energy bar. Shifted slightly windward, Thomas Ruyant is credited with the first nice piece of bravery for the beginnings of the race with a thundering night come back from the depths of the rankings where his error had initially plunged him. Forced to pass the buoy again he was nearly an hour late. At over 12 knots in speed, he is about to win the lead. Shifted south of the direct route, Stéphane Le Diraison (Cultisol – Marins sans frontières), has Remi Auburn (AT Children’s Project) in his wake, and makes the most of his route. More than 30 miles north from him ideally placed to anticipate a future wind rotation to the North. The Delesne, Caracci, Boidevezi, Bourgues, Riechers are all about 25 miles of the leader „HP“
Lobato is the boss
With almost identical basis to the best prototypes, the astonishing and formidable Portuguese Francisco Lobato also leads with his Serie Finot „Roff TMN“ No. 607 at about 10 knots of average speed, he is at the moment only ten-miles behind HP Schipman. With a similar route, the young Portuguese can see over his shoulder, in technicolor and widescreen, the spinnaker of Xavier Macaire literally stuck in his wake. More than in protos, the lead is far away from the followers, and we find the third the Italian Ricardo Apolloni (Ma vie pour Mapei) 10 miles behind, in search of a second wind wiser before challenging the dreaded Cape Finisterre. At over 100 miles behind the leader, the young Sébastien Rogues (Eole generation -GDF SUEZ) did not question himself. He left La Rochelle’s harbour, last night at midnight after repairing his damaged hull; and he does his best to join the fleet again. He met on is way; far north the unfortunate Fabien Sellier (Surfrider Foundation) who fights back upwind in big seas to reach the Charente-Maritime where, certainly, a new rudder awaits him. Hours of effort for 30 minutes of repair! But Fabien will leave again, just as Olivier Avram will probably before him (Cap World 2). So goes the race!
Ranking at 3 pm:
Prototypes: 1. HP Schipman (Maisons de l’avenir – Urbatys) at 885,25 miles from Funchal; 2. Thomas Ruyant (Faber France) and 3,03 miles from the leader; 3. Xavier Haize (Interface Concept) at 7,86 miles from the leader…
Serie: 1. F. Lobato (Roff Tmn) at 894,46 miles from Funchal; 2. X. Macaire (Masoco Bay) at 1,9 miles from the leader; 3. R. Appoloni (Ma Vie pour Mapei) at 9,73 miles from the leader…
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