Krys Ocean Race - Spindrift Racing head for Brest

by Sprindrift Racing on 8 Jul 2012 The long awaited start of the Krys Ocean Race for the MOD70 Class’s first transatlantic race arrived promptly at 5:00PM when the MOD70 trimarans set off on a 3,000 nautical mile run towards Brest at the tip of Brittany. The very first Krys Ocean race is on!

Very mild wind conditions did not prevent the big multis to show part of their huge potential and it only took them a few minutes to round the first mark off North Cove Marina. Spindrift racing, close to stealing the start, had a hard time dealing with the Hudson river strong currents and was last to cross the starting line. With the tall New Jersey sky line blocking the light Westerly winds, Yann Guichard and crew had no trouble getting back in the race and it is in fourth place that they gently slipped under the Verrazano Bridge.

With wide open seas in front of their hulls, the Spindrift racing crew can really get into their own race. The steady South Westerly winds leave no rooms for options and it is from now on and at least for the next two days, a simple matter of boat speed. It will be up to each skipper to know exactly how hard to push the boat in the early hours of the race. The low system developing from Canada provides the big Tris with perfect wind conditions, in both force and direction. With flat seas ahead, each crew will have the opportunity to make good mileage towards France and Brittany.

Having steered all the way since the start, Yann Guichard will now leave it up to his crew as they settled for their respective Watch. America fades away in the mist of a hot summer afternoon. Still in their shorts and t-shirts, Yann, Leo Lucet, Pascal Bidégorry, Jacques Guichard, Jean-Baptiste Levaillant and newcomer Kévin Escoffier enjoy the unique feeling of absolute freedom as their big MOD70 Spindrift racing picks up speed in the open Atlantic waters.

Yann Guichard, two and half hours after the start: 'We made a little mistake right after the start when the boat broached. We therefore lost some time. We were getting a little impatient I guess. It was a fantastic start, between Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. We had very little wind though, but the currents were very strong. It sure kept us busy. We had to stay alert with all those buoys and huge drifting wooden logs. We were glad to get out of the bay. The wind has not stepped in yet, and we are slowly getting into racing mode. I steered most of the way out of the estuary, and now it’s going to be up to the next two men watch. We have the entire fleet on sight, close to Foncia (Michel Desjoyeaux). The weather forecast does not leave much room for options and we’ll all more likely follow the same route, a little bit south of the Great Banks. I bet we’ll see a lot of each other till the Spindrift Racing Krys Ocean Race website