Slovenian Victory in the Cannes-Malta Race
RMYC - Andréa Azzopardi
The second edition of the Cannes-Malta Race, which came to a close on Saturday, lived up to all expectations. An attractive course, great conditions and fierce racing between the three Class40s on the starting line. In a change of pace, victory went to the Slovenian crew led by Matic Vrecko (130 – Optimus Prime), following a closely fought battle with Louis Toreilles (134 – Stella Nova).
A Sistership Showdown
“The race was incredibly intense,” admits Louis Toreilles. “We had every kind of weather and every kind of sailing conditions. With just two of us on board, there wasn’t a second to catch our breath, especially with Optimus Prime keeping us on our toes from start to finish.”
From the very first legs, the two sistership Mach40s were locked in a close battle. “We kept swapping places throughout the race. Just when we thought we’d left them in our wake, they always managed to come back. And on our side, we had to dig deep to get past them again whenever they took the lead.”
A truly epic battle that lasted almost all the way to the finish in Malta… almost!
On board Flamingo Rosso (155), Gildwen Moriceau-Loquen and his crew were fighting hard too, trying some bold tactical moves along the way. One of them even put them at the head of the fleet, but their lead was short-lived.
“We tried quite a few things. We had to, really, because our rivals managed to pull away from us in the light airs right from the start. We were always playing catch-up, but we’re really happy with our race and with what we showed out there.”
Late in the race, more than 20 miles behind, the Flamingo Rosso crew staged an impressive comeback. “We could have given them a proper hiding, but once again, our move didn’t quite come off!”
The Blunder: The Sailing Instructions Set the Rules!
The finish brought one final twist. Louis Toreilles missed the last mark just before the finish in Malta. A misreading of the Sailing Instructions that cost him the victory!
But rather than dwell on the disappointment, the skipper is choosing to learn from the experience. “That was a massive blunder! It definitely hurts the ego, but it’s a good lesson to learn! It’ll push me to raise my standards even higher from now on and, at least, I now know the approach to Malta for the Middle Sea Race!”
For their first-ever Class40 outing, victory therefore went to the Slovenian crew led by Matic Vrecko. And it was no fluke, as Gildwen Moriceau-Loquen explains: “Having them there, with a sistership to Stella Nova, added an extra bit of spice. They usually race in IRC, and I think they were delighted with their first Class40 race. They work really well together, and their boat is fast. We can’t wait to start the Rolex Middle Sea Race and see how things play out!”
And there won’t be long to wait: five Class40 crews are due to meet in Malta as soon as Saturday for another Mediterranean showdown over nearly 600 miles.
Eve Bougault
