First test for the GLOBE40 competitors

Globe40 day 4 © Jean-Marie Liot / Globe40

After setting off from Lorient on Thursday, September 4th, after a long wait, the Class40s of the 2nd edition of the GLOBE40 quickly crossed the Gulf of Cascogne, which has a harsh reputation, on Friday.

The strong westerly wind at the start turned into a light breeze overnight, then calm for a few hours, then an easterly wind took over during the day.

The evening finish near Cape Finisterre was a completely different challenge for the competitors, barely 24 hours into the race, for which most had been preparing for several years. Indeed, this was the fifth low pressure system in a week, and the accompanying front was forecast with gusts of around 30 to 40 knots, heavy seas, all upwind, and a TSD (Traffic Separation Scheme) along the route, which is prohibited for the racing boats. A first test for the teams, their equipment, and probably their stomachs, even though the videos and photos were discreet on this subject...

Strengthening in the early afternoon, the wind was indeed close to the forecast, with very rough seas until around midnight, a short duration but already taxing for the equipment. But it seems—subject to an inventory upon arrival—that the first pass was crossed without major difficulty. WHISKEY JACK, who had chosen a bold option by passing north of the DST, still encountered gusts of wind up to 57 knots (105 km/h). A good start to the great round-the-world voyage, which is expected to experience many more tricky phases like this one. The prologue played its role as a warm-up.

On the morning of Sunday, September 7th, the bells rang in the magnificent little churches of the historic center of Cadiz, and the competitors began a long slide along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts toward the city of the BIG START. The wind had shifted to the west/northwest, thus downwind for the Class40s, allowing for the expected increase in speed.

On the sporting front, CREDIT MUTUEL of Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier still leads the fleet, with the reports from onboard reflecting the skippers' enthusiasm and good humor in these first days of the long voyage; But beware, the gap of about ten miles with BELGIUM OCEAN RACING - CURIUM could not be widened any further, and the Belgian team clearly remains determined to win mile after mile in the upcoming speed race. A few miles behind the leaders, the young Germans of NEXT GENERATION BOATING AROUND THE WORLD and the female crew ENGIE - Dessine moi la Hight Tech, with the Spanish Aina Bauza and the French Axelle Pillain, are engaged in a superb battle. Through the battle between the two pairs of "sharp noses," the podium remains undecided.

Among the "pointy" noses, who follow about 30 miles behind, BARCO BRASIL, FREE DOM, JANGADA RACING, and WILSON AROUND THE WORLD are battling for first place within about fifteen miles, on almost the same line from west to east. On the coast and further offshore, tactics are being refined. WHISKEY JACK is back about twenty miles after its rough night.

In Cadiz, after a Levante phase (an easterly wind coming in from the land) of about twenty knots, calm has returned to the waters, and the teams are finalizing the final details for the arrival of the GLOBE40, with 330 miles remaining for the frontrunners. The finish is still scheduled for late Monday, September 8th, with the village opening and the start of the festivities also scheduled for the afternoon.

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