Less than two miles separate Ireland’s Tom Dolan in his Mini 650 Cellastab.com (IRL 910) from leader Benoit Hantzperg (Mahi-Mahi, 869) as they approach the western turning point in the Atlantic far beyond the Ile de Seine in the 220-mile Marie-Agnes Peron Trophy Race 2017 writes W M Nixon.
With 35 miles to sail to the finish over to the east at Douarnenez, they’re expected to be crossing the line in darkness around midnight, but the leaders are so closely packed that it’s anyone’s bet as to which ranking they’ll close with. Dolan has shuttled between 6th and 2nd as the race has progressed, however Hantzperg has been fairly constantly in the lead - albeit a very narrow one at times.
Winds at the moment are light to moderate from the southwest in the final leg in to the Baie de Douarnenez, and the chances of making anything other than infinitely small gains are very low if these conditions persist. But changing condition after dark may enable Dolan to improve on his current placing of fifth.
Tracker here:
