Justine Mettraux and Alan Roura sailed brilliantly on The Transat CIC. At the back of the pack, Oliver Heer had to contend with a violent pile-up that left him without power for 36 hours. In Bermuda, Team SailGP Switzerland excelled on the second day of racing with a fine heat victory. Finally, the Skippers Cup is in full swing in the Ionian Sea, with nine crews made up of loyal readers competing in a mythical race-cruise to be followed on our networks.
The crossing of the North Atlantic enjoyed rather favorable wind conditions, but was no picnic for the sailors and their boats. Yoann Richomme, who had long had his sights set on a major IMOCA victory, first managed to break away from Charlie Dalin, then to keep German Boris Herrmann, who finished second, at bay during the final days of sailing. As for Justine Mettraux, she sailed a fine race within the leading group, finishing 7th. Like many other sailors, she had to deal with a few technical problems, including the loss of the aerial at the masthead, which cost her precious miles. Not far from her transom, Alan Roura also had a magnificent regatta in the chasing pack. Handicapped by the delamination of one of his foils, he fought to the bitter end to hold on to the 11th place he had held for so long during the race. Oliver Heer, a long way behind, had a tough time at sea. His boat went completely down in the middle of the night, causing a total blackout on board. The skipper managed to stabilize the situation after a great deal of effort, and continues on towards New York at a reduced speed, but more determined than ever.
Round victory
Determined to shine, the Swiss SailGP team put in a fine showing in Bermuda this weekend. After a first day of racing punctuated by numerous tactical and technical errors, the reaction on the second day was radical. The F50 helmed by Nathan Outteridge – replacing SĂ©bastien Schneiter who was preparing for the Olympics – literally blasted its way across the start line in the first race of the day. The Swiss then sailed very cleanly, and their lead only increased. This result enabled them to “save” their weekend by finishing 7th in this grand prix.
The cruise is having fun!
Finally, follow the third edition of the Skippers Cup, which takes place in the magnificent region of Corfu. Some forty Skippers readers are devouring the Greek coastline to the rhythm of coastal courses punctuated by great evenings organized by the event’s partners. You can follow the exploits of the sailors in the fleet every day on our Facebook and Instagram accounts.