Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 - Skipper sails past destination

by Sail-World.com and Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat on 28 Oct 2009 La Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50, a drama unfolded as, on October 26 2009, an alert was raised after Alexander Scrizzi (Phoenix) passed the latitude of Salvador de Bahia in the second stage of the race from Funchal (Madeira, Portugal) to Brazil. The yacht continued at 90 degrees from the route to Salvador at seven to eight knots.

After alerting the MRCC at 7 am (French time), the race management decided to charter a plane to fly over the boat. The plan was for the aircraft to fly over the area in mid-afternoon for a return later that day. Lucas Montagne (President of the Classe Mini) and an emergency doctor made the flight. At this point Phoenix was 300 miles east/southeast of Salvador travelling at eight knots.

After no response from two flyovers and still headed in the wrong direction (Scrizzi had gybed and was heading 248° at seven knots) the Brazilian Navy confirmed their ship would be in the zone in 10 hours or 16 hours local time.

The Brazilian Navy ship contacted Alexander Scrizzi (Phoenix). He was taken onboard and and given the all-clear to continue. After talks it was discovered his GPS had failed in the Northern Hemisphere and that Scrizzi thought he was 400 miles further north than his current position. He remains under military escort, currently in the area and is expected in port on Thursday the 28th of October around 10:00 am local time.

The race organization wishes to thank Commander Paes of the Brazilian Navy, Captain Tenente Fernandes of Capitaihia de Salvador, José Arcesio of La Feneb, Yves Niort and Força Aeria Brasileira.

Other arrivals

They sailed in sight for of each other for days and finished a few minutes apart. The Italian Andrea Rossi (Jrata-Casino Lugano) beat Brice Aqué (Scuba Sail) over the finish line.

When he speaks of having hard times Jérôme Lecuna, who has completed his Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 in the late afternoon in Salvador, knows what it means. his first leg had already been heroic. The second was exactly the same, his problems included an autopilot problem and wind mode problems.

'I feel good' said Lecuna after finishing 33rd in the final leg in series. He was happy to have finished and admitted 'It's frustrating to be constantly put in difficulties by technical problems (…) Still, It's a great race, I will return. But with money. I will keep my mini, but it is necessary for me to perform a complete refurbishment and this requires money.'

When Amaury Francois (Groupe Qualitel) arrived ashore, the tall blond man with glasses (which he had carefully left on his mini before landing) ended up as usual... in the water. However, he was not the only one. His brothers, his mother and some other minis sailors followed him in, despite the darkness of Bahia. His father was stuck in Paris because of passport problems and is due to arrive on Tuesday night, so he missed the family dunking. Amaury finished in 36th place of the second leg after a forced halt in Cape Verde to repair his failing rudder fittings.

Nicolas Charmet (Ligue contre le cancer) arrived in the early night in Bahia. Charmet encountered rudder problems in this second leg and could not sail downwind or upwind, as he wanted. 'Two years ago I brought books, not this year I decided to go and fight... In fact, I should have taken some because at times it was long.'

Jean-Christophe Lagrange (Zoukati) finished in 32d 5h 44m, 40th of the Series. He ended the second leg with a single rudder - seemingly the trend this year... 'And why not me too' he laughted.

Remy Cardona (Solidarité Mutualiste) cut the finish line a few minutes later... He finished 39th.