The start of the sixth edition of the DRHEAM CUP/GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE was given on Saturday in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. The first group started at 11 o'clock in ideal conditions, with the sun and fifteen knots of east-north-east wind. On the programme for the 106 boats, three course, varied weather and relentless racing until Lorient, the new port of arrival of the race.
Sun, fifteen knots of east/north-east wind and calm seas, the 106 participants of the DRHEAM-CUP/GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE enjoyed "champagne sailing" at the start of the race that is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Every four years, the race is a qualifier for the Route du Rhum-Destination Guadeloupe (for the Ocean Fifty, Imoca, Class 40, Vintage Mono and Multi classes).
The start was given in four waves from the Baie du Becquet, with the eleven Ocean Fifties, a record breaking number, opening at 11 o'clock. Ahead of them, a 1220 nautical mile course and a demanding start to the race. "The wind will continue to strengthen throughout the day, reaching 20-25 knots, all downwind, ideal conditions to get started, explained Erwan Le Roux, skipper of Plastic Odyssey Fifty. Next, a long reaching leg between the Isles of Scilly and the Fastnet, and again downwind to the DRHEAM-CUP waypoint. After that, the race will get more complicated as we will cross two active low pressure systems as we head to BXA (Gironde estuary), we will have to be very careful.”
He adds, speaking of the Ocean Fifty Fleet: "The DRHEAM-CUP is an important moment for us, it is the first time that we have eleven boats sailed solo in a race, which is a qualifier for the Route du Rhum, it is a great sign of the class' progress. It is hard to say who is headlining, the eleven boats can win, especially as sailing solo levels out the playing field.”
Amongst the competitors, some have made their ambitions clear, such as the youngest participant in the fleet of 50 feet trimarans, Basile Bourgnon (Edenred): "It is a first solo race for many of us, it looks intense, especially as it will be windy, at least for the first part, so we will be able to use our boats to their full potential, I think that we have the best conditions for Edenred and myself. It is also part of the Ocean Fifty series, so everyone will want to do their best, we’ll need to set our sights just right.”
As for the other fleets that started just after the Ocean Fifty - Imoca, Vintage Multi and Mono, Class 40, on a 969 nautical mile course and the IRC, Sun Fast 30 One Design and Multi 2000 group on a 674 nautical mile course - the race will be just as intense. It is the case for the Class40, with 36 solo sailors entered - Alexis Loison didn't take the start to not damage his new Groupe Réel, launched ten days ago - and many potential winners. It includes Corentin Douguet (SNSM Faites un don!), who commented: "The first part to the Fastnet will be fast and the second will be harder, with Bastille Day fireworks and thunderstorms, I am not quite sure how it will go. We will try to get the race started well downwind, as the end will be more unpredictable, we will see what the result will be, but if I can win it, I won't hesitate!”
There will also be a battle in the Vintage Multi class, between two veterans, Marc Guillemot (MG5-Econav) and Halvard Mabire (GDD) on very similar catamarans - "The skipper is more vintage than the boat", joked the latter - and in Vintage Mono, including a few Open 50s, including Eurvad, with Tanguy Caradec, who explains: "It is my first solo race, so I am expecting to confirm everything I have trained for during a year, I think considering the conditions, we will use all the sails, it will be very interesting.”
As for the many enthusiasts competing in IRC (crewed and double-handed classes), they all set their own goals, as explained by Véronique Ansel, skipper of the all-female crew on the JPK 9.60 Elles du Large, who “is looking forward to competing against a large fleet on a great offshore course”. Emeric Lacroix, skipper of All In, one of the two Sun Fast 30 One designs in the race, explains: "To us, it is a first race on such a long course, the DRHEAM-CUP is the most important race in our season, we will learn a lot and try to match race against the other Sun Fast 30.”
Arthur Lenoel, crewing on Cléobulle, a Pogo 12.50 in the IRC Crewed class (five out of the eight crew are women), explained: "We have mainly come to enjoy ourselves with a crew of brothers, sisters and friends. It is our first DRHEAM-CUP, we sailed on the Fastnet last year and really enjoyed it, particularly the finish in Cherbourg, the city we come from and are truly attached to. We are also going to perform, if we can come ahead of the other Pogo 12.50 on our course, it would be great!”