The Emotion of the Start, Then the Race Takes Over
For a few minutes longer, emotions remained firmly at the helm.
The final passage through the Les Sables d’Olonne channel before heading offshore brought back powerful memories for many of the sailors. For some, it even left a few tears in the corners of their eyes.
Violette Dorange did not expect to be so moved.
“Sailing back through the channel and seeing so many people immediately brought me back to the Vendée Globe. It was incredibly emotional. I almost cried the whole way through.”
The skipper of Initiatives Cœur took time to savour the moment, fully aware that the energy gathered from the crowds lining the channel could prove invaluable in the days ahead.
The same intensity was felt by Francesca Clapcich (11th Hour Racing).
“Sailing out through the channel is always a magical moment. I’d already experienced it in a Figaro during a Solo Maître CoQ, but reliving it aboard an IMOCA definitely gives you goosebumps. It also helps you imagine what a Vendée Globe start must feel like.”
These suspended moments did not last long, however.
As soon as the applause faded, the race took over.
Very quickly, the sailors had to leave the memories behind, focus ahead and begin solving the first equations of the course.
A Full-Scale Offshore Gymkhana
Because despite appearances, this opening day was anything but a leisurely sail.
In a fickle airflow, the nine competitors found themselves engaged in a genuine game of offshore chess. Between Île d’Yeu, exclusion zones and areas of disturbed wind, everyone searched for their own opening move.
West of the island for Manu Cousin (Coup de Pouce) and Arnaud Boissières (APRIL Marine), east of the wind farm for Ambrogio Beccaria (Allagrande Mapei), and through the middle corridor for the rest of the fleet, the trajectories quickly diverged.
“We really had to weave our way through it,” summarised Violette Dorange. “A huge amount happened. We ended up making a lot of manoeuvres. Even without much wind, it was pretty physical.”
Physical may even be an understatement.
Roll away. Roll back. Hoist again. Then repeat.
For several hours, the skippers felt more as though they were working out in a gym than sailing towards the Arctic Circle. The succession of J0 tacks placed considerable strain on both sailors and equipment.
“Those manoeuvres are quite demanding,” Violette explained.
Francesca Clapcich admitted that some of her tactical choices had not unfolded as planned.
“I thought there would be a little more wind close to the coast. I didn’t really dare follow the western option chosen by Manu and Arnaud. Then I ended up a bit too close to the island and got caught in a significant wind shadow. It wasn’t ideal.”
As for Arnaud Boissières, he had clearly favoured the western route from the very beginning.
“I wanted to prioritise that option from the start.”
Before noting with amusement how the different scenarios eventually converged.
“In the end, we all found ourselves back together, almost as if a second start had been given.”
And that is exactly what happened.
