Pointus: A Race Within the Race!

The Pointus Are Keeping Pace

On the eighth day of racing, while the leading Class40s are tackling the tropical depression, the pointus are navigating a tricky transition zone, caught in the high-pressure ridge and its light winds. Yet their performances since the start have been remarkable. In the overall rankings, Djemila Tassin sits in 20th place, ahead of Loïc Féquet (24th), Ulysse Pozzoli (28th) and Gaëtan Thomas (30th), the most northerly of the four.

For Ulysse Pozzoli, it is important to give these boats the recognition they deserve: “It's important to shine a light on these pointus, which have helped shape the history of the class and make it possible to compete in the Route du Rhum on more modest budgets.” Sailing a boat that won the Route du Rhum in 2010 with Thomas Ruyant at the helm, the skipper of Renovatec Sailing Team is determined to do justice to this generation of Class40s.

And the figures speak for themselves: all ten pointus that started the race are still competing, and several are ahead of a good number of scows. Loïc Féquet (Funae) makes no secret of his satisfaction: “It's actually going even better than I'd hoped! I didn't expect to have so many scows behind me. We'll see if we can keep them at bay over the final stretch.”

The Podium in Their Sights

The battle between the pointus is very much alive, and each skipper has their own target. For Ulysse Pozzoli, a podium finish in the category is firmly in his sights: “That's my goal in this race. And if I can finish ahead of a few scows too, all the better! I'm keeping a very close eye on the other pointus. After finishing third among the pointus in the Transat Café L'Or, I naturally want to do it again.”

Gaëtan Thomas (Barco Brasil) has the same ambition and is also aiming for the podium: “I don't want to get ahead of myself, but the goal is to finish on the pointu podium, especially as there are three identical boats competing [three Mach40.3s: Barco Brasil, Funae and Djemila Sailing – Belgium Ocean Racing]. I'm mainly focused on my own race, while keeping an eye on where my rivals are. I make my own decisions based on what I think is best. That's why I headed south to try that little tactical move, which I think paid off pretty well.”

Djemila Tassin (Djemila Sailing – Belgium Ocean Racing), on the other hand, prefers not to focus too much on the category rankings: “My goal is to sail the best race I possibly can, whether I'm the first pointu or not. For me, it's about learning, sailing a good race and competing with the boats around me. I know the second half of the race is going to be tougher for me because I lost my gennaker on the second day. I'm losing time in the transition zones, and the light winds ahead are going to make things even more difficult.””

Mathieu Claveau Is Playing a Different Tune

In this battle, Mathieu Claveau (Inhérent – Phare 40) has chosen to take a different approach. To find him on the race tracker, you have to look a long way north, around the latitude of Providence. The sailor from Marseille is the only competitor to have maintained his northerly route in an attempt to get around the Azores depression.

“I feel a little isolated out here,” he admitted this morning, “but this option could pay off. I'm going to head for a low-pressure system, cross the front and then turn south towards Guadeloupe. It could allow me to close the gap significantly. From here on, it all depends on how my competitors get through the conditions and how well I manage to navigate the various transition zones. I think it's an interesting option.”

A Marathon Far from Over

At the halfway point, the pointus are still facing plenty of challenges. After the high-pressure ridge, the Class40s are expected to encounter the strong winds of the tropical depression once again, before reaching another area of light winds. Patience, careful energy management and protecting the boats will therefore be key.

“It's going to be a long marathon to make it all the way home to Guadeloupe,” sums up Ulysse Pozzoli. The race within the race is far from decided!

The 10 Class40 Pointus Competing in the Route du Rhum

Yohan Bertrand – 65 - Yoda
Ulysse Pozzoli – 88 – Renovatec Sailing Team
Goulven Marie – 98 – Qwanza
Yanick Rebuffat – 107 – Mussolo 40
Christophe Rateau – 133 – Gustave Roussy
Rodolphe Sepho – 140 – CANBT – OTI – Rêve de large 5
Mathieu Claveau – 142 – Inhérent – Phare 40
Gaetan Thomas – 151 – Barco Brasil
Djemila Tassin – 153 – Djemila Sailing  - Belgium Ocean Racing
Loïc Fequet – 156 - Funae