2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Cocody kept its tradition of things breaking
by Steve Dettre / RSHYR media 29 Dec 2024 22:55 AEDT
29 December 2024
Cocody pushing the boat hard in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race © Carlo Borlenghi / ROLEX
The French yacht Cocody, owned and skippered by Richard Fromentin, pushed its way across the line today to finish 16th over the line and are provisionally eighth Overall in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Crewman, Damien Fleury, who was a member of the crew that sailed the boat to Sydney over some 17,000 nautical miles from France for the start of the race, said they battled their way through conditions on the first day.
"We broke two sails the first night and many other things, but we were able to keep the boat in order," Fleury said.
He said part of their training was to know how to respond to breakages.
"We were pushing, pushing, pushing during the downwind," he said.
"We didn't drop the spinnaker at all during the whole night. "It was blasting 30 to 40 knots. So, we knew that this moment was important for us to push, push, push.
"Because, after all, there was not a lot of tactics going on."
Fleury said the crew, all French bar their Australia navigator, Steve Taylor, had finished the race in good condition.
"There was nothing unusual among the crew. We took care of each other," he said.
Fleury said the wind was not the issue. "The only problem was the waves," he said.