Unsettled weather is complicating the early stages of the Transat Café L’Or.
Each of the four classes — ULTIM, Ocean Fifty, IMOCA and Class40 — face uncertainty over the finish in Martinique.
In the ULTIM class, the fleet’s course has been shortened, heading straight to Martinique after passing the Saint Peter & Saint Paul islands.
Leader SVR Lazartigue is ahead of Sodebo 3 (Coville / Schwarz) and Actual 3 (Marchand / Villion).
Tom Laperche of SVR Lazartigue said: “We expended a lot of energy over these 24 hours. … it’s definitely taking its toll.”
In the Ocean Fifty fleet, Edenred 5 (Le Roch / Bourgnon) holds a 20‑mile lead. Le Roch admitted the wind is light: “Yesterday … they were at 22 knots and we were at 3 knots.”
In IMOCA, Charal (Beyou / Lagravière) leads, with MACIF Santé Prévoyance (Goodchild / Berrehar) second and 11th Hour Racing (Clapcich / Harris) third. Harris said: “We gybed first … unfortunately that opened up … they are the quickest boat in the fleet.”
In Class40 the Italian pair Maccaferri Futura (Rossetti / Sericano) are leading after early troubles. Rossetti warned: “Things are already complicated tactically and strategically … the race is still so long, over 3,000 miles to go.”
Spanish duo Pep Costa / Pablo Santurde (Class40) described the Atlantic as “quite complicated … it is not looking like we will get a lot of downwind this time.”
Irish sailor Tom Dolan noted major patience will be required on the northern route: “I see an advantage to the boats to the west … these northern ones only manage to get down to the trade winds thanks to a sort of cold front.”
German sailor Sanni Beucke, sailing with a knee injury, said: “My immobility is not what I’d ever want … last night … it was quite tough.”
