It's Hammer Down at the DRHEAM-CUP !

Since the early start on Saturday, the 37 Class40s competing in the 10th edition of the DRHEAM-CUP have had little chance to catch their breath. Spinnakers have been flying in demanding conditions, as Achille Nebout (Amarris) confirmed yesterday afternoon after rounding Fastnet Rock:

"It's full-on out here – I won't be long before I put a reef in!"

Unsurprisingly, these conditions are taking their toll on both sailors and equipment. Broaches and unexpected wipeouts have pushed the boats hard, and as the saying goes, you can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. The Class40 fleet has already suffered several damaged spinnakers, broken rudders and a handful of retirements.

^{_{A New Leader}}

After leading the Class40 fleet for two days, Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran Seafrigo) surrendered the lead late this morning to Luca Rosetti (Maccaferri Futura). Rosetti now sails virtually level with Corentin Douguet (SNSM Faites un Don), the two skippers almost perfectly aligned on the same longitude and posting similar speeds, while a tightly packed chasing fleet remains hot on their heels.

The final stages of the race promise to be spectacular. Thunderstorms, an Atlantic ridge and highly unstable winds are all on the menu over the next 24 hours—more than enough to keep the skippers guessing over the final 370 nautical miles before crossing the finish line in Lorient.