Friday, September 19, 2014
Lorient Horta Solo: Gwénolé Gahinet on Safran-Guy Cotten makes a good start from the Azores
Lorient Horta Solo: Gwénolé Gahinet on Safran-Guy Cotten makes a good start from the Azores
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At exactly 1500hrs on Friday, Gwénolé Gahinet, on the Figaro Safran-Guy Cotten, left Horta on the return leg* of Lorient Horta Solo. Just before the start, the 18 competitors headed north, their destination: Lorient, where a finish around September 27 is expected. The task: 1,250 miles of solo offshore racing. It is a return to competition that has been eagerly awaited by the skipper of Safran-Guy Cotten.
After a four-day stopover in Horta, Gahinet left behind the wild and magnificent volcanic island of Faial, keen to return. It was the first time the skipper had been to this archipelago that is very popular with professional and amateur sailors making Atlantic crossings. “It’s the beginning of a love affair,” Gahinet said, “the little port of Horta is so charming with its drawings on the sea walls, cosy bars, and restaurants where you can find delicious fish. The landscape is beautiful and the people really kind. We had a great time together in Horta.”
A simple equation
Some sightseeing allowed the sailors to clear their heads, after a long convoy to Horta in the first leg, but this morning, before leaving the pontoons, Gahinet was wholly focused on the race. “The adrenaline of the competition is what drives me every day,” Gahinet said. “Since there is only one leg, I really want to have a good result. It will be very simple: the first to finish will win.”
An upwind course
The 1,250 miles of racing across the Atlantic could be difficult for the 18 soloists. “The first challenge is to negotiate the light winds at the start,” Gahinet explained. “We'll have to take a route to the north or northwest in order to catch the breeze that will gradually turn to east before settling again to a northerly. At its peak, we should have 25 knots of wind, which is pretty considerable upwind on a Figaro Bénéteau.” Strategically, it looks like being an exciting leg, because managing all these small transitions requires a lot of thought and careful analysis of weather charts and the sea-state. That is good for the skipper of Safran-Guy Cotten, “it’s about being very aware and anticipating the right tacks,” he said. “In these conditions, the small differences between the boats could turn into big gaps. The game is on, and that’s how I like it."
Flavours of the Azores on board
While Jules Delpech, the Figaro Safran-Guy Cotten boat assistant, has been busy working on the boat and optimising the helm seat, Gahinet was responsible for the victualling. With the relatively light winds, at least at the start of race, this leg could be a little longer than expected, so the skipper is pleased to be buying some local produce. “Apart from the classic cold victuals like grisons beef (air-dried sliced beef) and vacuum-packed cheese, I bought some mangoes, a big 5kg watermelon, that I should be make last until the finish, and a few cans of tuna in the Azores. Eating well and having fun while doing it is important for morale in a race.”
After 1,250 miles of tactical and strategic racing, the fleet is expected around September 27 in Lorient harbour, where the winner of this first edition of the Lorient Horta Solo will be crowned along with the champion of the France Elite de Course au Large en solitaire (France’s elite offshore solo sailing championship). Suffice to say that none of the skippers will be giving an inch to their opponents.
*The Lorient Horta Solo is a solo ocean race with two legs (Lorient-Horta and then Horta-Lorient). With the forecast for a depression with winds of over 40 knots and waves of eight metres, the race organisers decided to cancel the first leg. The competitors arrived in the Azores on Sunday, September 14th, after making their way in a low-speed convoy for their safety.
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