LATEST NEWS

Here comes Groupe Picoty

Jacques Fournier : « This finish marks the end of a great adventure. It’s been quite some time since I have had conditions like that. This race has given me a lot of strong souvenirs. It also represents a reference in sporting terms. We received a fantastic welcome. People from Progreso came out to welcome us in and that is really appreciable. The Solidaire du Chocolat is an overall project the start in Nantes-Saint Nazaire, the course, the finish in Mexico. A coherent whole perfectly suited to the Class 40 philosophy. »

Jean-Eduard Criquioche : « It’s always a bit odd when you finish. You’re mid-battle, giving it all you’ve got, then you cross the finishing line and it all stops. Finishing in Mexico effectively marks the end of a project. There’s the joy of finishing the race, setting foot ashore and meeting everyone. There is also the downside that it has ended. I’m certainly not the first to say this: this was a very tough race indeed. We nearly called it a day twice. We already came a cropper on the Skippers d’Islande, but when the last low came through after the Azores, we really though that the boat wouldn’t make it, that we were about to get our heads chopped off at any minute slow the boat. We had a reef in the storm sail, just 6m² of canvas up and we had to trail warps to slow the boat which was taking off in waves at 8 knots. I had the distinct impression that something stupid was just about to happen. We were the furthest north and we got the edge of the low. For all the race is over now, the conditions we had to deal with mean that we have not digested it yet. »

Quote / unquote

Denis Lazat (Plan, les enfants changeront le monde) : «  Plan Les enfants changeront le Monde is into the strait of Yucatan. And the battle is nearing its close. We had almost perfect conditions today. Here at last are the trade winds we had given up hoping for. Just as we are getting ready to leave the Caribbean. Sweet life. Quick word for the routers: our ETA won’t be changing much. Unless we end up in a windless zone, we should be in tonight, like all, the others. Shame really. I reckon that CNN and the BBC News won’t be covering our finish ! »

Erik Nigon (Axa Atout Cœur pour Aides) : « A current of several knots, shallows and waves coming onto the shore, the sea is so choppy, you’d think we were off the tip of Brittany. Yet we’re quite a long way away. At this time of year, I much prefer the Cape Catoche which marks the end of the Caribbean and the entrance to the Gulf of Mexico. We’re not quite sure yet what track to steer to get into Progreso. Our rough repairs to the heavy spinnaker è- the sole survivor of the family – gave up the ghost this evening and to we have no choice but to use our Code 5. Rotten luck for the race against Plan. There’s a fair chance we might see Keysource again. We’re not going to let up until we’ve crossed the finishing line ! »

ETA for the next 6 boats (French time):

•             AXA Atout cœur pour Aides and PLAN les enfants changeront le monde è 20th November between 1 and 5 o’clock

•             KEYSOURCE è 20th November between 7H30 and 14 H

•             CREDIT MARITIME è  20th November between 1 o’clock and the end of the afternoon

•             ORBIS è 22nd November