Course des Caps: A promising start!

The eleven crews have begun their grand tour around the British Isles – a challenge as demanding as it is thrilling. Over 48 hours after the start, the fleet remains tightly packed and the suspense is at its peak. Will Harris (Malizia-Seaexplorer) and Yann Eliès (Association Les Petits Princes-Quéguiner) offer insights into the opening stages of the race.

The toughest battles aren’t always the most obvious. After a misty but festive departure from Boulogne-sur-Mer, conditions quickly proved to be light. Yet in offshore racing, appearances can be deceiving. Despite weak and patchy winds across the Channel, the skippers have had to work relentlessly to get the most out of their boats.

“Right from the start, we’ve been under pressure,” confirms Will Harris (Malizia-Seaexplorer), reached on Tuesday. “We had 12 to 24 hours to find our rhythm and adapt to the pace of the race. Strategy is obviously key, as is the ability to make the right routing decisions. But in a race like this, there’s always an element of luck—good or bad. What really makes the difference is the ability to maintain good speed no matter the conditions.”

The light winds have forced crews to remain on high alert for every shift and to capitalize on the smallest breeze. “It’s visual sailing, full of small tactical moves - you have to be super precise with your trim,” summarizes Yann Eliès, who’s racing alongside Élodie Bonafous on her first IMOCA outing with Association Les Petits Princes-Quéguiner. The seasoned skipper says he’s “really happy for the team”: “Just being at the start is a major milestone for us.” But from the very first tacks, the crew has had their hands full.

The light conditions have also impacted life on board. “We haven’t been able to stick to the watch system we’d planned,” admits Yann. “It’s tough to keep fixed shifts because there’s always something to adjust or an unexpected maneuver—we’re constantly adapting!”

Still, none of this has disrupted the good energy aboard Les Petits Princes-Quéguiner. And if the breeze has made the race tricky, it also has a silver lining: keeping the fleet tightly grouped and the tension high. On Monday, the top eight boats were within just five nautical miles of each other. “Being so close to the others really pushes you to give it your all to stay in the game,” says Will Harris. The British skipper also emphasized the need to “tune out the fleet to stay focused on your own strategy.” “We’re learning to detach ourselves from the pack and make our own calls—even if they’re risky,” he adds.

© romain_marie

As the race unfolds, skippers are taking calculated risks, trying different tacks or repositioning themselves for tactical advantage. All crews have continued to sail downwind along the English coast, carefully managing wind shifts, currents, and traffic. After a transition around the Isles of Scilly, the race has turned upwind toward Fastnet Rock. “It’s going to feel quite different now - less coastal, more offshore, with no more rocks or marks to navigate around,” explains Yann Eliès.

In this relentless battle, the entire fleet was in high spirits. The daggerboard IMOCA boats, such as New Europe skippered by Szabolcs Weöres and FDJ-Wewise with Fabrice Amedeo, were still very much in the game, to the great delight of their respective crews. However, the latter was forced to retire from the race last night. With the return of the wind and the legendary Fastnet Rock now being rounded, the gaps are starting to widen, signalling a change in pace. “We should see stronger conditions again, with heavy winds and fast passages under clouds, especially toward the north of Scotland,” explains Will Harris. The skipper of Malizia-Seaexplorer is looking forward to this new phase: “It might be the perfect moment to push and show what our boat is really capable of.”

Before putting the pedal to the metal, the crews have been soaking in the beauty of the Channel and its rare calm. “It’s not often we get such light winds in a race—it’s actually a chance to enjoy the scenery,” says Will. “We’ve been lucky to see a lot of dolphins. Even in a high-intensity race, you’ve got to appreciate those little moments.” Yann Eliès paints a postcard-perfect image: “The start conditions were lovely—we had the moon, fog, intense light, dolphins...”
But after enjoying the show, the fleet is now fully focused on the road ahead. The long northwesterly stretch continues, and one thing is clear: the adventure around the British Isles has only just begun.

© ANNE BEAUGE 33684713372