The face of the race changed within a few hours. After more than 24 hours trapped in a stubborn calm, the competitors in the 1000 Race found wind again last night, with a north-easterly flow setting in.

Gone is the relative calm: the IMOCA fleet has shifted into more demanding sailing, colder and wetter. It was in this new setting that they rounded Fastnet Rock this Tuesday. At the front, Sam Goodchild (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) passed the rock at around 13:30, also claiming the Tout Commence en Finistère Trophy. A moment that always stands apart, negotiated this time in daylight, but still in unstable conditions under the influence of the Irish coast. Re-energised and still very tightly packed, the fleet is now heading for the Guy Cotten waypoint, with a long fast leg ahead… before fresh weather uncertainties.

A NIGHT TO CHANGE EVERYTHING

It only took a few moments to transform the face of the race. As recently as yesterday, the IMOCA boats were sailing on a flat sea, unable to express their full potential, forced to cope with fickle, unstable winds, sometimes barely perceptible. “When the boat won’t get going, it’s really tough,”said Elodie Bonafous (Association Petits Princes - Quéguiner). “You stay focused, you look for solutions… but sometimes there’s not much you can do. And you can’t even manage to go to sleep.” Fatigue was all the more pronounced as these conditions demand constant attention. The same observation came from Violette Dorange (Initiatives Cœur): “The wind was shifting every ten to fifteen minutes. You had to be very reactive with trim. In the end, I barely slept.” A race of attrition, where every puff becomes strategic. Then, early in the night, the north-easterly flow set in, bringing an end to more than 24 hours of standstill. “A real relief,”summed up Corentin Horeau (MACSF). Within just a few miles, the IMOCA boats regained their rhythm, their balance… and their purpose.

FROM “LAKE” TO IRELAND

With the wind came speed again, but also a radically different atmosphere. “Yesterday, it was almost Mediterranean conditions—flat and warm… and now, near Ireland, we’re dealing with cold and a lot of humidity,” said Nico d'Estais (Café Joyeux). The same feeling for Sam Goodchild: “We’re now sailing in a northerly flow, so it’s obviously cold and a bit biting.”

A clear shift, but ultimately a welcome one after a long period of waiting. In this new setting, the approach to Fastnet was far from straightforward. Although the passage was made in daylight (a rare privilege), conditions remained technical, disturbed by the wind shadow of the Irish coast. A moment that always stands apart, even for seasoned sailors. “It’s a truly mythical rock,” recalled Violette Dorange, pleased to round it again, having done so 38 minutes after the Franco-British skipper, at the heart of a still tightly packed fleet. “I was afraid of getting dropped… but in the end I’m still in the game,” added Nico d’Estais, the only skipper racing with daggerboards, perfectly illustrating the intensity of the contest.


A LEG TO ENJOY… BEFORE WHAT COMES NEXT

The IMOCA fleet is now charging towards the Guy Cotten waypoint, slightly moved to the north-east by race management to shorten the course. A welcome decision, as what lies ahead remains uncertain. “The models are changing a lot from one day to the next,” noted Christian Dumard, the race’s weather consultant.

This instability encourages sailors to keep moving forward without looking too far ahead. For now, the programme looks more engaging: a long reaching leg at 120–130° to the wind, in relatively manageable seas. “It’s going to be a great leg, really enjoyable,” anticipated Elodie Bonafous. The same tone from the Initiatives Cœur skipper, who mentioned “a great opportunity for speed,”despite a few sail changes to come. The leading boats are expected to reach this virtual mark tomorrow morning, between 04:00 and 06:00. Until then, sailors will be able to press on the accelerator, like after a long traffic jam finally clears. But they all know it: light winds are never far away. Wednesday, and especially Thursday, could reshuffle the cards once again. In the meantime, one instruction seems to prevail, perfectly summed up by Sam Goodchild: “You have to take everything there is to take.”