Happiness! That's what was on Fabien Delahaye's face as he crossed the finish line of the second solo leg of the Les Sables - Horta - Les Sables race. After a fierce battle, and thanks to a daring southerly option, the skipper of Class40 LEGALLAIS claimed victory on this return leg from the Azores after 5 days 20 hours 39 minutes and 26 seconds of racing. Third in the outward double-handed race, the Class40 Legallais won the overall classification* of this event, which has become a benchmark on the Class40 circuit.
This is a remarkable victory, Fabien's second at the helm of the 199, following his double-handed victory with Benjamin Schwartz in last year's CIC Normandy Channel Race. Over the past two seasons, the Norman skipper has gone from strength to strength. The Class40 LEGALLAIS was launched in 2023, and since then, one podium after another has followed. This magnificent first place in Les Sables-Horta-les Sables, after a breathtaking finish, confirms the position of this 100% Norman project and its skipper as a major player on the circuit. Fabien Delahaye made the difference thanks to an assertive strategic choice made very quickly after the start in Horta. "It doesn't come down to much. As you can see, all the boats are arriving in groups. You've got to be able to get away with a few small moves, make the most of the others, and try to stay ahead. I've always said to myself that this race was an opportunity to try out new things this season. We tried a few things technically, but we had to sail freely. I tried to make my way south without looking at the others and with what I was thinking," explained the skipper on his arrival at the pontoon.
Equally at ease sailing double-handed with Pierre Leboucher, or solo, Fabien deployed the full panoply of a well-honed offshore expert during this round trip to the Azores. Committed strategic options, the ability to tacticize in light airs, knowledge of his Class40 to get the best out of it in difficult wind and sea conditions, sleep management and anticipation of future conditions. It's a perfect copy that the sailor from Normandy handed in this morning on arrival in Les Sables d'Olonne. "Everyone plays their cards right. We all got together in the Bay of Biscay. There's a front bringing everyone back on an equal north-south line. From then on, it's all about positioning for the next move. And what's important is to be in position for the last shot. For this race, the last shot was this morning. It was a long leg, but there were some fast tacks. To my south, I did some reaching in very stable wind. It was pure pleasure," adds Fabien.
Source : Legallais team Voile / Effets mer
2nd Leg ranking: Les Sables - Horta (leg 2) - Class40
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