Transat Paprec Day 6 - A High-Tension Weekend
by Transat Paprec 26 Apr 05:27 AEST
25 April 2025
At sea for six days, the competitors have already completed a quarter of the Transat Paprec course. After crossing the Bay of Biscay, rounding Cape Finisterre, and sailing down the Portuguese coast, the fleet has now stretched out toward the latitude of North Africa.
They're closing in on Madeira and already pondering the best strategy to approach La Palma, a waypoint on the route to Saint Barthélemy, which they are expected to pass on Saturday evening. The forecast promises lively conditions, pushing the duos to remain extremely vigilant. Here's a breakdown of the weekend's key challenges.
- Martin Le Pape and Mathilde Géron (DEMAIN) are still leading as of the 7:00 p.m. ranking, ahead of Davy Beaudart and Julie Simon (Hellowork) and Alexis Thomas and Pauline Courtois (Wings of the Ocean).
- The fleet is nearing Madeira, which they will round to the east in the evening to avoid the wind shadow on the island's western side.
- The regatta is about to intensify as the fleet prepares to negotiate the La Palma waypoint on Saturday evening.
- As of 7:00 p.m., the top 15 boats are within just 50 nautical miles of each other (about 80 km).
This weekend is no time for relaxation. On the Transat Paprec, taking a break or "switching off" is a luxury reserved for land-dwellers.
"We try to sleep between shifts, but it's hard," said Alexis Thomas (Wings of the Ocean) last night. "The others aren't letting up, so there's always work to be done."
And the pace is only expected to pick up throughout the weekend—not just because the boats are charging full speed southward.
Madeira in Sight
All day long, skippers have been working to get closer to the islands of Porto Santo and Madeira. While the route looks straightforward on the race tracker, the reality is more complex. Approaching a high-pressure ridge has caused unstable wind conditions. As a result, some boats are sailing 2 to 3 knots faster than their neighbors. DMG MORI Academy (Laure Galley and Kevin Bloch) and Les Étoiles Filantes (Quentin Vlamynck and Audrey Ogereau) made small course corrections.
The current objective is to round Porto Santo and Madeira from the east, avoiding the significant wind shadow to the west.
"We're staying on edge," said race leader Martin Le Pape (Demain). "Everyone's pushing to catch a right-hand wind shift and more pressure along Madeira," explained Arno Biston (Article1).
"The gybing game has begun at a moderate pace, but it's expected to ramp up this evening and into the night," added Yann Chateau from race management.
"You've Got to Rack Your Brains!"
After Madeira, it's straight on to La Palma, with just as much intensity. The weather promises to be brisk but manageable: 20 to 25 knots of wind with little swell. Still, focus will be crucial.
"It's a bit of a tricky waypoint to handle," admitted Davy Beaudart.
"You have to really think through the best strategy," added Victor Le Pape (Région Bretagne - CMB Espoir) this morning.
Competitors must pass La Palma to starboard. But to find the right positioning, they need to look at longer-term forecasts. And that's where it gets complicated—forecast models disagree, making decision-making harder for the skippers.
Two main options are emerging: Either pass west of La Palma, or sail between La Palma and Gran Canaria.
"It's interesting — there's room to play and real decisions to make," said Yann Chateau. And as always, there will be winners and losers!
To follow the skippers in real time: transatpaprec.geovoile.com/2025/viewer
Event website: www.transatpaprec.com