Transat CIC: Dalin and Richomme bow to bow, Nico Lunven struggles with broken bowsprit
The Transat CIC remains an eventful regatta. While the favourites Charlie Dalin ("Macif Santé Prévoyance") and Yoann Richomme ("Paprec Arkéa") fought a thrilling duel at the front, Boris Herrmann on "Malizia - Seaexplorer" fought for his return to the top ten in tenth place on the morning of 1 May. At the same time, his former navigator and companion Nico Lunven had completely different worries. The likeable Frenchman had to continue his race on "Holcim-PRB" "limping" with a broken bowsprit.
Transat CIC: with broken bowsprit to New York
Nico Lunven informed his shore crew about the problem early on Wednesday morning. The break itself had occurred overnight in strong winds. However, Nico "The Brain" Lunven wants to continue the Transat CIC to New York even with a broken nose. The 41-year-old from Lorient said: "The bowsprit is damaged and unusable. That means I won't be able to use a downwind sail for the rest of the race. But as we are preparing for all possible challenges and scenarios, I am confident that I can finish the race." In the meantime, Team Holcim-PRB is already working on shore to find a solution to repair the boat for the return race New York Vendée as soon as it arrives in the Big Apple.
Nico Lunven is not the only one in the Transat CIC who can catch his breath after the recent rather brutal conditions in which the Imocas hit the waves hard. Ahead of them lies a 150 nautical mile wide north-south band with light winds that they need to cross as quickly as possible. On course for New York, Charlie Dalin defended his narrow lead on Labour Day from Yoann Richomme, who continued to attack stubbornly. The two have known each other since their rivalry in the Figaro era. The pacemakers were still pushing towards the light wind wall on Wednesday afternoon at speeds of 18 to 20 knots before slowing down at midday.
Paul Meilhat on "Biotherm", who was last positioned around 70 nautical miles further north, remained the duo's first pursuer for the time being. Depending on the development and arrival of the Imocas, the light wind hurdle for the northern boats could be somewhat wider. Boris Herrmann has positioned himself more towards the centre of the fleet on the south-north course, as has Justine Mettraux on "Teamwork - Team Snef", who is ahead of him.
Through the middle in light wind poker
"Malizia - Seaexplorer" had still reached top speeds of 20 knots and more on Wednesday morning before slowing down a little like everyone else on the way into the light wind band. Isabelle Joschke has now reinvested and given up her outer southerly position. She had finished sixteenth early on Wednesday afternoon, well behind Boris Herrmann and roughly in his path. On the other side of the fleet, Sébastien Simon ("Groupe Dubreuill"), in seventeenth place in the intermediate classification, was also in the process of giving up his extreme northern position and joining the field.
With Louis Duc ("Fives Group - Lantana Environment") and Antoine Cornic ("Human Immobolier"), two more Imoca skippers have now abandoned the Transat CIC: Antoine Cornic with broken J3 fitting and Louis Duc with broken connection of his rudder blades. Clarisse Crémer reported that she had a problem with her autopilot transmitter on "L'Occitane En Provence".
Switzerland's Oliver Heer, on the other hand, is still on course to qualify for the Vendée Globe. On the early morning of 1 May, Heer had this to say about the first few days in the Transat CIC: "It was quite a full programme here, very windy, with a nasty swell coming from a 90-degree angle. Some boats had to give up, which is an absolute shame."
The Class40 fascinates with changes in leadership
A quick look at the Class40 in the Transat CIC: the five-way fight at the top has turned into a four-way fight for the time being: Fabien Delahaye ("Legallais Team Voile") has snatched the lead back from Ian Lipinski ("Crédit Mutuel"). Twelve and 14 nautical miles behind the leader, Nicolas d'Estais ("Café Joyeux") and Ambroggio Beccaria ("Alla Grande Pirelli") in third and fourth place are keeping the pedal to the metal. "Ibsa" soloist Alberto Bona has fallen back a little, struggling to catch up more than 40 nautical miles behind the leading boat. Amélie Grassi remains the only Class 40 skipper in sixth place on 1 May.
