Kito de Pavant and Laurent Camprubi have been declared the winners of the Massilia Cup Offshore I Trophée Corsica Med 2023. Setting out from Marseilles at 13:00 on Monday 26 June, the duo won the first leg, arriving in Macinaggio to the north of Cape Corsica at 07:46 on Wednesday morning, after passing a virtual mark to the north-west of Sardinia. The fleet set sail again at 6am on Thursday towards Marseilles and it was the Class40 Made in Midi that came out on top, taking the lead at the very end of the course to arrive at 7:34pm yesterday, Friday. Throughout the two legs, totalling around 500 nautical miles, the sailors encountered conditions as varied as they were tricky, giving all the crews a tough time.
We've won the 2nd and final leg of this Massilia Offshore, which we'd describe as selective!" enthused Kito de Pavant on arrival in Marseille's old port. "There were 47 boats at the start last Monday and only 3 at the finish!
He explains: "However, yesterday morning, things didn't look too good for us. As we passed the gate to the south of Grand Ribaud, 40 miles from the finish, we were in 3rd place and the two boats ahead of us, the Italians and the Croatians, seemed to be faster than us upwind. But the Dantean conditions that awaited us at the end of the course enabled us to catch up and then pass Ivica Kostelic (ACI40).
It was only 10 miles from Marseilles that we overtook Marco Guerra (Imagin Act), passing closer to the Calanques (magnificent at the end of the day).
It was a tough day though, with an average of 35 knots and above all very heavy head seas, which were very difficult to negotiate.
As for the other Class40 boats, a whole host of problems (mutiny, a Belgian struck by lightning or multiple breakdowns) forced them to retire.
For the other boats, the organisers made the wise decision to shorten the race in Giens.
In the Class40 Mediterranean Trophy, Ivica Kostelic (ACI #130) remains in first place.
Source : Made in Midi
Race General Ranking : Massilia Cup Offshore - Trophée CORSICA MED - Class40
Trophy Med. Ranking : 1mediterraneantrophy23postmassillia.pdf (class40.com)