At 21:30 only two boats have entered the Bay:
Fabio Muzzolini’s 945 Tartine
Hugo Picard’s 1014 Kiraucassis
They’re making their way slowly to the finish line and should arrive in an hour.
Behind them, clever would be the person who guesses who will be next on dry land..
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
The wind dropping at the end of this afternoon reshuffles the cards.
At 17:00, whilst Fabio Muzzolini on Tartine the 945 seems to have got going again, Nolwenn Pébelier has taken 2nd position followed by Arno Biston on the 551 Bahia Express.
Amongst the Series, Hugo Dhallenne seems likes he’s attempted a very northerly option at Basse du Lis which could really cost him dearly. At the moment, 16 nautical miles from the finish, we have Hugo Picard on the 1014 neck and neck with Jean-Marie Jézéquel on the 1016 who dominate, 0.6 miles ahead of Lennart Burke (943) and Léo Debiesse (966). We’re getting ready for a great final in Douarnenez Bay !
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
After the first long, cold night, the fleet stretches from the Glénans to Sein island, over sixty nautical miles. No changes to note with the course leader. Tartine the prototype 975 skippered by Fabio Muzzolini holds first place with a small lead – 4 short miles – over Hugo Dhallenne skipper of the series 979 YC Saint Lunaire. They’re followed by Numerobis – 787, the prototype sailed by Nolwenn Pébelier. A few miles further we find Jean-Marie Jézéquel on the 1016-Branchet-KPL and Anne-Claire Le Berre’s 1005-Millenium.
Around 10 miles after the first prototype, Emmanuel Renaud’s 753-Aventure Océan marks the rear of the first group, which numbers ten boats. They might be close to the finish line, now less than 40 miles away, but the competitors will soon slow down with the wind dropping. They will need patience before they can enjoy the hot meal served on their return. They also need to be careful with the tide whose range is 108 this afternoon.
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
After 8 hours sailing, the race leader is nearly in view of Groix island whilst the latecomers approach the Glenans. The leaders have set a fast pace and already covered about 75 nautical miles out of the total 220 so a third of a the race. So we find Fabio Muzzolini on the 945 outstripping by 2 nautical miles the Maxi (séries) belonging to Hugo Dhallenne on the 979 and Jean-Marie Jézéquel on the 1016. After them come two more Maxi’s, Anne-Claire Le Berre’s 1005 and Basile Bourgnon’s 975 are bumper to bumper. For the proto’s, Emmanuel Renaud’s 753 is in 2nd position at 4 miles from the leader tailed by Nolwenn Pébelier on the 787.
Withdrawals :
Victor Turpin’s 850 had a broken bowsprit and returns to Lorient.
David Bellanger’s 867 encountered piloting problems and went back to Douarnenez.
Tanguy Aulanier’s 896 had power issues and is going to Lorient or La Trinité
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
Under a huge sun hidden behind a cloud with 12-14 knots of wind, the whole fleet got off to a clean start for the 16th Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy at 13:00 today Thursday.
The 914 skippered by Brieuc Lebec was first to go around the starting marker followed by Lennart Burke on the 943 and Jean-Marie Jézéquel on the 1016. Over on the Prototypes the 850 outstripped Fabio Muzzolini on the 945 and Nolwenn Pébelier on the 787.
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
On the eve of the big day, we report that a series of withdrawals have been announced in the last 48 hours. For various reasons a dozen sailors have had to give up the chance to take part. We note in particular the absence of Ambrogio Beccaria and Chaffoil who were the big favourites for the Trophy. However, this reshuffles the cards and opens up other possibilities for the podium.
So, for the departure which has now been postponed until 13:00 tomorrow, Thursday, there will no more than 49 skippers, including 7 women.
The race briefing will be held this evening at 17:00.
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
After having had a problem with the keel of the 800 during the Duo Concarneau which immobilised the boat at the boatyard, Irina Gracheva found a way to line up at the start line.
Irina, could you explain why it’s important to you to do the MAP ? And how do you approach the race?
« For me situation for MAP is tricky now. The race is important for many reasons. My personal reason – I really love Douarnenez and the atmosphere in Winches club. It’s always friendly, we feel welcome and I was in love with races here from first time I arrived in 2018. Sport reason is to finalize my participation in French championship en solitaire. It is personal result and I am allowed to continue with another proto. Now I am on first position in Championship and I would like to make everything to keep it. This year was very difficult for any foreign competitor and I already put all my efforts to get good boat, to sail fast and strong, to be in France for all races. And MAP for me is very important race to be sure I did everything what I could. My boat for MAP is an old proto, build 2003, with old original sails. Boat didn’t race from 2008. We don’t expect to arrive fast, but I see it as very nice opportunity to sail boat in his original state and to feel same as sailors in 2003-2008 did feel. And I see it as Spirit of Mini. I got this boat from Remy and it was very kind of him. Remy and his wife did a lot during this year to make 433 to be racing boat again, but work to bring him in perfect state is not finished yet »
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
Clément Santoro is 31, he’s an engineer- naval architect with Piriou in Concarneau.
He started off in liveabords with Winches Club in 2007 then did two Mini seasons while still managing the Douarnenez centre in 2010 and 2011. Next, Clément went off to race in the sailing Tour de France then to Martinique for the Formula 18 circuit. In December 2019, he bought Pogo Dancer, the Pogo3 908, then found himself up against the Covid crisis. At the end of a constricted year and after participating in the Duo Concarneau, the Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy is the first solo race of the season for Clément.
But his enthusiasm remains intact : « I’m happy to rediscover the special atmosphere which the Mini Class has. First I thought I would do the Mini-Transat next year, but looking at the current situation I’m now looking at 2023. »
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
From the height of (very high : 1m95) his 18 years, Basile is the youngest competitor in the Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy this year. He arrived in the Mini Class to learn about these small boats which are both technical and fast. And he chose the Series category : « In this category it’s the skipper who makes the difference ». His boat is a scow, Raison design, the maxi 975 – Aelig – Edenred.
Basile is far from being a novice and has already completed the Transatlantique Jacques Vabre in doubles with Emmanuel Le Roch on Class40 in 2019. This year Mini solo, he’s done part of Sables-Les Acores to Morlaix Bay before retiring with an injury and the Mini in May where he finished 13th. He also raced the Duo Concarneau again with Emmanuel Le Roch, and they arrived in 8th position.
If we go back to 2018, you might have noticed him on the pontoons in Tréboul during the Grand Prix Guyader when he raced on Diam24.
But for the time being he’s concentrating on the Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy and he really doesn’t want to get cold during the race. Next the boat will return to the boatyard to be improved and made more reliable. The main focus for Basile is 2021 and the Mini-Transat.
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
Here we are 3 days from departure, tomorrow the security checks start, guided by Nathalie Monier, President of the Technical Committee, and about half of the boats expected are now filling up the dock in Tréboul.
Nathalie Monier
Today, Monday, the participants number 60 with 8 different nationalities. And the volunteers are busy with the final preparations under a typical autumnal drizzle.
The first good news is that Irina Gracheva, first in the prototype classification, has found a boat to temporarily replace the 800 and will line up at the start with the oldest model of the fleet, the 433.
Weatherwise, the other good news is that our specialist, Jean-Jacques Quéré, has told us that things are looking rather good for the Trophy. The departure should get underway with a NNE wind of 8/12 knots which will die down towards night-time. Then the very high tide associated with the absence of wind needs to be negotiated. The following day, the wind will go over to the SE. An unknown factor exists as far as the depression which is building up offshore of Brittany which will determine the wind’s strength at the end of the race, estimated for the moment between 17 and 20 knots.
Departure expected on Thursday.
Traduit par www.abitrad.fr
