Dhream Cup : Corentin Douguet Claims Victory

Corentin Douguet Claims Victory

After an intense four days of racing, Corentin Douguet (SNSM Faites un Don) claimed victory in the DRHEAM-CUP. The Lorient skipper laid the foundations for his win yesterday at dawn when he took control of the fleet off the coast of Brittany. From there, he steadily extended his advantage before successfully defending it all the way to the finish line in Lorient.

"It wasn't easy at the beginning, it got quite tough in the middle, and I had to stay focused until the end," said the winner. "I'm really happy to win this great race. It's the last solo event before the Route du Rhum, which is ultimately the main goal of all our projects, so it's a real confidence boost. I've worked hard over the past few months and had a lot of small areas I wanted to improve. Right from the start of the race I found some solutions, so the overall result couldn't be better."

As so often, Guillaume Pirouelle (Sogestran Seafrigo) delivered an almost flawless performance. He seized the lead shortly after the start and, comfortable and fast on every point of sail, controlled the race for three days before finally surrendering first place to Corentin Douguet in a tricky transition zone. "The race was incredibly intense from start to finish. I'm really pleased with the way I sailed. I was right in the fight and spent quite a long time leading the fleet in the stronger winds, which was pretty satisfying. I don't have many regrets.Transition zones are always tricky and, when you're leading, you often end up showing everyone else what not to do! I probably pushed a little too far into the light-air patch and, by the time I tacked to get back into the breeze, the others already had more pressure.After that, all you can do is stay patient and try to limit the damage. I kept fighting and managed to work my way back. I really had to earn that second place!The finish was fascinating. So much happened during that final day, and it completely shaped the final standings. You had to stay fully engaged, keep thinking and constantly adapt your strategy. I don't think I made too many mistakes on that last day—which is never the easiest—and I'm really happy about that."

Taking the final step on the podium, Robin Follin (Solano) crossed the finish line all smiles, showing little sign of fatigue despite four demanding days at sea.

"We had every possible condition and sailed every point of sail. I think it's the first time I've used every sail on board," said the skipper from Sainte-Maxime. "Yes, I'm really happy with my race and with this result. Above all, it's my first solo podium, and I'm delighted to dedicate it to Solano, my partner. I'm very pleased with the way I managed the race. To be honest, I hadn't sailed a great Trin'40, but that experience taught me to prioritise both performance management and managing myself as a sailor, finding the right balance between the two without compromise. The race never let up—someone was always attacking. When I knew I needed to rest, I managed to do so without being influenced by what the others were doing. It's a new way of racing for me: more discipline, more consistency and perhaps a little less emotion. It all came together with good tactical decisions, clean manoeuvres and, of course, a bit of luck. I now feel I've built a solid foundation ahead of the Route du Rhum."

Ninth-placed William Mathelin Moreaux (Patapain – Les Invincibles) also came away satisfied.

"It was a fantastic race with a huge variety of conditions. We changed sails countless times, moved equipment around the boat, made weather decisions—it was intense from start to finish. There were highs and lows, of course. We fought hard for every mile, sometimes gaining ground only to lose it again in the next transition. Overall, it's very positive. The boat is in perfect shape, we've proven we can be quick in heavy weather and I'm really happy. I could probably improve my sleep management, but I fought all the way to the finish and that last battle was great fun."

For Fabien Delahaye (Legallais), fatigue was impossible to hide.

"I can barely keep my eyes open! I slept quite a lot at the beginning of the race, but once I broke something and had to fight my way back, I almost stopped sleeping altogether. Instead of giving up, I pushed hard to recover places, and it worked. I handled the thunderstorms well on the way down to Rochebonne, made the right calls and the boat was fast. This race has been an incredible learning experience. We did so many manoeuvres that I now feel much more comfortable both in heavy conditions and with handling the boat. But it was tough. The high-speed sections are incredibly stressful. Doing 30 knots under spinnaker when one of the rudders comes out of the water is quite a feeling!"

There was an extra reason to celebrate for Matteo Sericano (Lucente), who marked his birthday by crossing the finish line just ahead of the sailor he describes as a true gentleman, Vincent Riou.

"I've given myself the best birthday present. When 'Vincent the Terrible' won the Vendée Globe, I was still a child. That's the magic of this sport: one day you get the chance to race against your heroes. I dreamed about it, I chased those dreams, and today I'm living them. It's incredible to be racing alongside sailors who inspired me so much."

Class40 finishers continued to arrive throughout the night and into the morning at Lorient La Base. Stéphane Bodin (Wasabii) and Emmanuel Hamez (Viranga) crossed the finish line in 22nd and 23rd place respectively, an outstanding achievement for these two passionate amateur sailors.

Nine Class40s remain at sea. Among them, Jean-Baptiste Ternon (MIC Odyssey) is waiting for the wind to shift right before making a single tack towards BXA.

"We'll have to be patient. We're not going very fast at the moment—there are about seven knots of wind and we're sailing at six knots. We should reach BXA in five or six hours."

Provisional results, subject to jury confirmation.

*Source: DRHEAM-CUP.