MAP 2024, News

“It was a great race !”

Sticky L'équipe communication du Winches

Crédit photo : Manon Le Guen

The 6 winners (Series and Proto) arrived safely. On  arrival, each shared their thoughts about the race, having experienced the 20th edition of the Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy in a different way.

The winner in the Proto class, Romain Van Enis, 969, found the race ‘a bit difficult at the start, it was tough, whether it was the start or the descent into the bay, there was a lot of wind’. The same sentiment was shared by Marie Gendron, 1050, who finished second on the podium in the Proto class: ‘the start was pretty crazy with the wind, it was magnificent and the sun was setting, the clouds were golden’.

Amaury Guérin, winner of the Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy in the Series, found the start of the race ‘complicated’. But after a race that was difficult at the start because of the wind, he ended by saying: ‘Douarnenez Bay is great! If all race finishes are like this, I’ll sign up!

Romain Van Enis is delighted to have been able to take ‘plenty of naps’ after the Birvideaux lighthouse.

The 20th edition of the Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy was complex from the start with the wind, but at the finish, they were all happy to have finished and to have enjoyed themselves. To welcome them, a hot plate and a drink are waiting for them. They’ll be able to get together, share their race and, above all, debrief.

Crédit photo : Manon Le Guen

Proto podium :

1- Romain Van Enis, 969, BE SAILING (1d 03h 02min 16s), average speed 8.14 knots

2- Marie Gendron, 1050, LEA NATURE (1d 03h 43min 46s), average speed 7.93 knots

3- Alexandre Demange, 1048, DMG MORI SAILING ACADEMY 2 (1d 04h 20min 32s), average speed 7.76 knots

Crédit photo : Manon Le Guen

Series podium :

1- Amaury Guérin, 996, GROUPE SATOV (1d 06h 28min 46s), average speed 7.22 knots

2- Paul Cousin, 981, AFP GROUPE BIOCOMBUSTIBLES (1d 07h 05min 2s), average speed 7.08 knots

3- Quentin Mocudet, 986, ASCODAL / SAVEURS & DELICES (1d 8h 38min 5s), average speed 6.74 knots

MAP 2024, News

Nothing’s decided yet!

Sticky L'équipe communication du Winches

Crédit photo : Manon Le Guen

After 14 hours of racing, the majority of the fleet has passed the Birvideaux lighthouse

In the Proto class, the leading trio are Romain Van Enis on 969 BE SAILING; Marie Gendron on 1050 LEA NATURE; and in third place Alexandre Demange on 1048 DMG MORI SAILING ACADEMY 2.

It’s worth noting that the top two: BE SAILING and LEA NATURE are neck and neck.

In the Series, we currently have Paul Cousin on the 981 AFP GROUPE BIOCOMBUSTIBLES; followed by Amaury Guérin on the 996 GROUPE SATOV; in third place Quentin Mocudet on the 986 ASCODAL / SAVEURS & DELICES.

Withdrawals :

The 1067, skippered by Benoît Marie, retired due to a keel bolt problem.

The 539, skippered by Eve Boucher, is retiring due to a broken steering system and pilot problems.

Class Mini at Douarnenez, MAP 2024

Heading for the Birvideaux lighthouse

Sticky L'équipe communication du Winches

Crédit photo : Manon Le Guen

Excitement and concentration were the order of the day on the pontoons. The participants  were tying up all the loose ends before setting off on this 220-mile solo race.

Towing began at 5pm in the port of Tréboul. The tugs will have to take the 65 Mini 6.50s out in turn to the Bay of Douarnenez so that they can reach the start line.

The start was given at 8.30pm, 1 hour late. After crossing the start line, the skippers headed for a clearing buoy, before heading out of Douarnenez Bay and towards the Birvideaux lighthouse.

1069 and 754 did not start for medical reasons

917 did not start for personal reasons.

The 716 had its mainsail torn.

880 abandoned due to technical problems

The 423 and the 965 have been withdrawn following a collision.

The 1067 is turning back due to a keel bolt problem. We have no further information at the moment.

Class Mini at Douarnenez, MAP 2024, No classified

Tomorrow sees the start of the 20th Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy!

Sticky Agnès

Crédit photo : Manon Le Guen

This year, there are 65 boats on the list, 11 prototypes, 51 series and 4 proto-series. There are five nationalities on the start  line. And this year, 13 women will be at the start, two more than last year.

This race is going to be very fast, with the first skippers  expected within 24 hours of the start.

The general briefing took place with all the participants. Race instructions were given by Annabelle Moreau, the race director, and Didier Legrix, President of the Race Committee. Skippers  were reminded of the course, safety instructions and race rules. The start procedure was also explained.

Tomorrow morning, at 10 am, there will be a weather briefing, then at 4:30 pm the start of the towing.

Mapping
News, Race 2023

“A race finish that reflects the class of 2023” for this edition of MAP 2023

LOLO

With a 20-second gap between them at the finish, Julien Letissier, who crossed the line ahead of Laure Galley in the Protos, said “we weren’t far off the photo finish”. All the skippers were unanimous in their praise of the dream conditions, the blue skies, the wind and the beautiful moon, which made for some fine performances. The same words come to mind: hyper intense, fast, no time for sleep or meals. Long tacks under Gennaker were the order of the day. Laure and Julien had studied the western option for the passage of the Chaussée de Sein, an option which surprised Race HQ with its audacity, but which paid off, with Laure’s 20 minute delay at this point turning into 20 seconds on the line. On the pontoons, the skippers discuss animatedly about their race, their equipment and their strategy. They go back over their race, smiling and happy with this 2023 edition. Marie Gendron, who rounded the mark in the lead, finished 3rd, after what she described as ‘a good 24-hour run’. This podium finish reflects the image of the class of 2023, with the level of Proto racing having risen sharply and enabling the skippers to enjoy some ‘contact’ racing. In the Series, the impressions are the same.

 

podium proto :

1-Julien Letissier, 1069,FRÉROT BRANCHET (1J 03H 05min 27s)

2-Laure galley, 1048, DMG MORI-ACADEMY 1 (1J 03H 05min 47s)

3-Marie Gendron, 1050, LÉA NATURE (1J 03H 44min 30s)

podium série :

1-Paul Cousin, 981, GROUPE BIOCOMBUSTIBLES (1J 04H 08min 30s)

2-Ulysse David, 1025, EQUANS (1J 04h 18min 51s)

3-Hugues De Prémare, 1033, TECHNIP-INTERNATIONAL-COATIN (1J 04H 19min 49s)

News, Race 2023

A fast race but nothing is decided yet

LOLO

Less than 24 hours after the start, the leading competitors are already level with the Chaussée de Sein, whose passage is spicing up the race. The fleet is also approaching this point.

In the Proto class, the leading trio has remained constant since the start, with Laure Galley on 1048 DMG MORI SAILING, Julien Letissier on 1069 FRÉROTS BRANCHET and Marie Gendron on 1050 LÉA NATURE.

In the Series, the top three are currently Ulysse Davis on EQUANS, 1025; Hugues de Prémare on TECHNIP ENERGIES-INTERNATIONAL, 1033; Paul Cousin on GROUPE BIOCOMBUSTIBLE, 981.

The 882, skippered by Thomas Cornu, NAPADELIS, was forced to retire from the race.

(photo credit: Simon Jourdan)

News, Race 2023

A good start for the 19th  Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy

Simon Jourdan

The start took place at the scheduled time: 13:00

Marie Gendron on 1050-Léa Nature was the first to round the clearing buoy one mile after the start line, and it is she who leads the fleet at the Raz de Sein after two hours of racing, neck and neck with 1048-DMG Mori skippered by Laure Galley.

Julien Letissier on 1069-Frerot Branchet has taken the lead over the production boats and is making 12 knots in the Bay of Audierne.

The 138 did not start.

The 984, 1067 and 945 dropped out.

After returning to Douarnenez, the 833 finally got back into the race.

 

The race

On the eve of the start of the 19th Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy

Simon Jourdan

84 boats are entered, 25 prototypes and 59 production boats. A dozen nationalities are represented. And only 11 women are in the starting blocks this year for this demanding race. The Marie-Agnès Péron Trophy is raced over 220 nautical miles along the south coast of Brittany, and you have to manage the little sleep you have, as well as your diet and hydration. It’s like a thirty-hour sprint.

From L to R: Annabelle Moreau, race director, Chantal Delangle Müller, volunteer coordinator and Laurent Balliet, Winches Club base manager.

This Wednesday, 15 volunteers (including around 10  from the Optimiste 29 association) are finalising the safety checks under the guidance of coordinator Chantal Delangle Müller, who has been in the job for 15 years. The inspectors check all the compulsory safety equipment aboard the boat before setting off on the race. There are around thirty checks to be carried out every day. And according to Chantal, everything’s going very well.

This week, Annabelle Moreau becomes the 2nd female director of an ocean race in France after Sylvie Vian, after twenty years as assistant director.

What’s her role?

Before the race:

– Validate the documents and race instructions with the race committee

– Apply for authorisations from the state authorities with the organiser (in this case the Winches Club)

-Deal with the safety issues inherent in the event

During the race:

Ensure safety on the water.

Race management is not about managing the sporting aspect of the event, which is the responsibility of the FFV referees.

Its mission is to ensure that the boats are safe and that everything runs smoothly on the water, and to work with the accompanying boats and, if necessary, the CROSS to deal with any incidents that may arise, in the hope, of course, that they don’t!

 

How’s the  19th Marie Agnès Péron Trophy  shaping up?

“Rather sporty and fast, the weather conditions should be passable but rather rough. We’re expecting a steady north-easterly wind of 20-25 knots with gusts.

It’s going to be a fast race, perhaps even close to a record, with the routing predicting the first arrivals 24 hours after the start, i.e. around midday on Friday.In this year of mini-transatlantic races, there are a lot of new skippers and the fleet is fairly heterogeneous. That makes it a bit tricky to create the courses, because you have to think about the frontrunners as well as, and above all, the backrunners, the crossings, the zones and the weather. We mustn’t forget the backrunners.”

Gender diversity seems to be the big theme for the Mini class in 2023. What’s your opinion on this issue?

“Co-education is an important theme. There’s no denying that women are undervalued and disadvantaged. Positive discrimination is a bit embarrassing for me, as I’m in favour of equality, but I think that an obligation is needed to get things into the mainstream. I’d rather be recognised for my skills than for my gender, obviously.

 

Laurence Balliet, aka “Lolo”, has been base manager of the Winches Club since November 2022. She’s no stranger to the Mini, having done a number of escorts and lined up at the start of the PLM earlier this year. “The weather was fine and the volunteers put in a lot of hard work, but there was a lot of support” is how she sums up this first race organisation in Douarnenez. “I’m trying to coordinate all the great energies as best I can and to take care of as many people as possible so that they themselves have as much energy as possible to take care of the Mini skippers. The Winches Club is very committed to sailing for all and this has a strong link with the Mini class, which is a gateway to ocean racing for all.”

Tonight’s weather briefing takes place at 18:00.

The start of the race is scheduled for tomorrow at 13:00.

 

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