Strong winds, squalls, heavy seas and rain... the 24 duos competing in the 4th edition of the 40' Malouine LAMOTTE couldn't have hoped for a better scenario for the 187 mile race between Saint-Malo and the Sept Iles to practise their skills before the famous Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie - Le Havre. Indeed, the conditions were demanding and the big guns in the class naturally played up front. The trifecta? Ambrogio Beccaria - Nicolas Andrieu (Alla Grande - Pirelli), Nicolas d'Estais - Léo Debiesse (Café Joyeux) and Matthieu Perrault - Kévin Bloch (Inter Invest).
Setting out yesterday at 12 noon for a 187-mile loop starting and finishing in Saint-Malo via Videcoq, off Granville, then a mark to the west of Les Sept Iles, off Lannion, the fleet in the 40' Malouine LAMOTTE completed the loop this Friday morning. At 8:18 am, after around twenty hours, the tandem of Ambrogio Beccaria and Nicolas Andrieu crossed the finish line, three minutes and 58 seconds ahead of the pairing of Nicolas d'Estais and Léo Debiesse. "We're very happy. The gaps were small at the finish and we even expected them to be even smaller because at the halfway point there was a good number of us within a five-mile radius, almost on top of each other. In the end, as far as we're concerned, we made the difference on the return leg, downwind, and we're all the more satisfied because up until now, we've been fast upwind but less so under spinnaker. With a view to the transatlantic race, that's obviously not a bad thing", commented the skipper of Alla Grande - Pirelli, who took control of the race at around 3h30 this morning, stealing the show from the pairing of Nicolas d'Estais and Léo Debiesse, who had been leading the troops for a long time after having done a perfect job upwind.
An open game right to the end
Setting out yesterday at 12 noon on a 187-mile loop starting and finishing in Saint-Malo via Videcoq, off Granville, then a mark to the west of Les Sept Iles, off Lannion, the fleet in the 40' Malouine LAMOTTE completed the loop this Friday morning. At 8:18 am, after around twenty hours, the tandem of Ambrogio Beccaria and Nicolas Andrieu crossed the finish line, three minutes and 58 seconds ahead of the pairing of Nicolas d'Estais and Léo Debiesse. "We're very happy. The gaps were small at the finish and we even expected them to be even smaller because at the halfway point there was a good number of us within a five-mile radius, almost on top of each other. In the end, as far as we're concerned, we made the difference on the return leg, downwind, and we're all the more satisfied because up until now, we've been fast upwind but less so under spinnaker. With a view to the transatlantic race, that's obviously not a bad thing", commented the skipper of Alla Grande - Pirelli, who took control of the race at around 3h30 this morning, stealing the show from the pairing of Nicolas d'Estais and Léo Debiesse, who had been leading the troops for a long time after having done a perfect job upwind.
An open game right to the end
"On the climb back up between Videcoq and Les Sept Iles, we were fast and put in some good tacks. Downwind sailing is not the boat's strong point and as the seas were a bit short and choppy, we had a bit of trouble maintaining our lead," explained the skipper of Café Joyeux, who tried to make the difference at the end of the course by passing to the north of the wind farm in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, when his direct rival preferred to go around it to the south. "In the end, going ashore was the right strategic choice, especially as the seas were much calmer," commented the Italian sailor, who thus definitively took the lead. "We're delighted with this first place. It gives us even more confidence for what's to come. Nicolas and I were stuck with our OCS (early departure) during the Rolex Fastnet Race, which cost us dearly. This time, there was no question of us leaving in the third curtain just to make sure. On the contrary, it was important to get off to a good start and that's what we did", emphasised Ambrogio, who thus confirms his status as favourite for the Transat Jacques Vabre after his second place finishes in the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe 2022 and the Défi Atlantique 2023, and his victory in the CIC Normandy Channel Race last May.
"We had a great time!
It was much the same for many of the other big guns on the circuit, who had also come to validate a certain number of technical points, but also to establish themselves as serious clients ahead of the Route du Café, starting with Matthieu Perrault and Kévin Bloch (Inter Invest) who completed the podium in this off-shore race of the 40' Malouine LAMOTTE. "It was really interesting. We saw a lot of things and that's what we were expecting as it was our first race on the boat this season," recounted the former Ministe, who benefited from conditions that were both invigorating and complex. "It was really intense. We weren't expecting so much wind or so many squalls. It was very unstable and we didn't sleep at all, neither of us. We're happy with the result. The others made no mistakes and everyone attacked. We all finished in 30 knots under full spinnaker and full mainsail. We had some great runs and it was even really hot in the channel at the finish, but we had a great time!" finished Matthieu, who, like the other 23 duos in the running, has a date with the LODIGROUP Trophy starting tomorrow at 10am. On the menu: in-shore crewed races with guests on board.
Source : SNBSM
Ranking : 40 Malouine LAMOTTE - Class40
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