The battle for overall honours intensified at Wolf Rock today as the leading Class40s in the 17th CIC Normandy Channel Race remained locked in a high-speed duel off the south-west coast of England.
After a demanding exit from the Solent, competitors were greeted by a spectacular sunrise before beginning the run towards Land's End. Race organisers later confirmed the planned Celtic Sea loop around Lundy Island had been cancelled due to an approaching low-pressure system forecast to bring severe conditions to the English Channel from Tuesday to Thursday.
The decision shortened the course and removed concerns over a difficult return to Land's End in heavy seas and adverse winds.
At 7.15 am, LEGALLAIS became the first boat to round the Wolf Rock lighthouse off Cornwall. SOGESTRAN-SEAFRIGO followed just 0.3 nautical miles behind.
Once around the mark, the leaders bore away and accelerated rapidly, reaching speeds of 18 to 20 knots on the 90-mile leg towards the Roches de Portsall waypoint in Brittany. The fleet's descent along the English coast was sailed in around 20 knots of breeze. Competitors navigated tidal challenges, particularly around the notorious Start Point, where strong currents have historically trapped boats and reshaped race positions.
The race suffered its first retirement when ASSOCIATION RÊVES, sailed by Loïc Fequet and Yves Courbon, withdrew due to electronic problems aboard the recently relaunched Class40.
During the night, crews engaged in a tactical upwind battle between Lizard Point and Land's End before converging on Wolf Rock.
A tightly packed group of chasers remained within striking distance. CUSTOPOL, sailed by Axel Tréhin and Antoine Carpentier, led the pursuit alongside VSF SPORTS, MACCAFERRI FUTURA, BLEU BLANC PLANETE LOCATION, ZEISS, SOLANO and HIRSH-CENTRAKOR. Nine boats were separated by less than 10 miles as they approached Wolf Rock.
With 20 to 25 knots of wind forecast for the next stage, the race is expected to remain fast and highly competitive. The leading boats were projected to reach the Portsall mark around midday.
