Transats CIC: "Biotherm" leads, Boris Herrmann advances again after losses, one favourite is out

Jérémie Beyou had imagined his season opener to be very different. More like at the start of the Transat CIC, where he sailed in the leading group for a day. But then, after a rough first night at sea, a loud bang signalled damage to the J2 forestay. After consulting with his team, the experienced 47-year-old co-favourite decided to return to Lorient to give his 2022 Manuard design a thorough check-up. Also because the mast had vibrated violently during the incident at sea, but according to initial findings remained undamaged.

Transat CIC: Four Imoca cancellations in two days

Jérémie Beyou's team wants to send "Charal" back on course to New York as quickly as possible after a thorough inspection and with a small transfer crew so that Beyou can take part in the second transat from New York back to France from 29 May. Jean Le Cam ("Tout Commence en Finistère - Armor-Lux") is also out of the race for unspecified personal reasons, Arnaud Boissières ("La Mie Câline") with damage to the starboard foil and Sébastien Marsset ("Foussier") Fossier") for health reasons.

After the second night at sea, an interesting duel has developed at the front of the field with a new leader for the time being: At 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning, "Biotherm" attacker Paul Meilhat was still defending his lead, which had already shrunk to one nautical mile again, ahead of Charlie Dalin, who was positioned around 40 nautical miles further north and continued to drive his "Macif Santé Prévoyance" massively.

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The 41-year-old Paul Meilhat had earned his lead on the way through lighter winds on the second night, in which he - tending to be positioned more southerly - benefited more quickly from the increasing pressure. However, on Tuesday morning it was obviously only a matter of time before Charlie Dalin, who had been so dominant at the start of the Transat CIC, would be able to overtake his leading opponent again with his fast Verdier draft in a long-distance duel.

Boris Herrmann: Resurgence after losses

Boris Herrmann was one of the losers of the second night at sea. The 42-year-old from Hamburg had dropped back to 15th place early on Tuesday morning. However, with a boat speed ten or more knots faster than the competitors ahead of him, his recovery in the intermediate classification also seemed to be only a matter of time. Boris Herrmann had initially positioned himself in the middle of the north-south distribution of the fleet on the move westwards, but finally made very fast progress again with a speed of 19 knots and was in 12th place at the 10 o'clock update.

Once again travelling in extreme conditions, Sebastien Simon on "Groupe Debreuil" formed the northernmost position of the Imoca squadron heading west on Tuesday. The Frenchman was penalised for his solo run in the north with tough hours in light winds. It was not until the morning of 30 April that his boat - the former Ocean Race winner "Malama" from 11th Hour Racing - picked up speed again. Simon has to work his way back up from 16th place.

The best Imoca skipper in the race on the morning of the second day at sea was the experienced Brit Sam Davies on "Initiatives Cœur" in seventh place. The northernmost point of the fleet on Tuesday morning was still marked by Munich-born Isabelle Joschke with "Macsf". She was in 14th place in the field of 29 remaining Imocas, while Justine Mettraux ("Teamwork - Team Snef") initially lost ground in the middle like Boris Herrmann before making up place after place - finally finishing eleventh ahead of Boris Herrmann, but with two knots less speed.

Transat-CIC strategy: advantages in the North?

When interpreting the current positions, it should also be noted that the northern boats sail closer to the rhumb line and are therefore slightly "favoured" in the tracking. Charlie Dalin and Yoann Richomme ("Paprec Arkéa"), for example, sail further north. Their investment could result in a faster, more direct angle if they can accelerate into the north-westerly winds, which could increase to 30 to 35 knots.

In the Class40, the quintet of men chased by the sole female skipper Amélie Grassi ("La Boulangerie Bio") in sixth place has hardly changed at the top of the fleet. With Ian Lipinski ("Crédit Mutuel"), however, there was a new front runner. Less than three nautical miles separated Fabien Delahaye ("Legallais Team Voile"), Nico D'Estais ("Café Joyeux") and Ambrogio Beccaria ("Alla Grande Pirelli") from Ian Lipinski at the 10 o'clock update. Nine nautical miles behind Lipinski and only two and a half nautical miles ahead of Amélie Grassi was "Ibsa" skipper Alberto Bona.

Live from aboard! Impressions from the Atlantic sent by Justine Mettraux on Tuesday morning: