From Press Release – All pictures by Pierrick Contin
Some competitors admit that fatigue is starting to be felt after two intense days of sailing. But the enthusiasm and the desire to fight are always strongest when it comes to go out to sea for racing …
Endurance, it took a good dose today since the race committee had prepared two very tough courses that were real tours d’horizon of the most beautiful landscapes on the island.
Startle response from French teams
The morning race allowed the teams to open the fire. No choice, you had to be good in all areas of the game. The tempo was high, the leaders sailed the 14 mille in just one hour and twenty minutes. Two French teams were particularly in good shape, realizing their ambitions by stepping on the podium.
Tim Mourniac & Pierre-Yves Durand were waiting for this first victory since the beginning of the week. And to be completely honest, we were also expecting it for them, as we know the extent of their talent! “It’s true that we were trying to find ourselves with Pierre-Yves at the start of the Cata Cup: we had some technical problems and then, we just didn’t sail very well,” admits Tim. Apparently, the two accomplices have found the throttle controller and the keys to success. “This time we managed to make our comeback and sailed in front of the fleet at the important crossing points,” welcomed the skipper.
On the second step of the podium, one can find the stainless duo of Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren, faithful to their strategy: consistency above all.
Gurvan Bontemps and Fred Moreau also got their first podium of the week, a very nice satisfaction for the two Bretons: ‘We rounded offset mark in 10, then we made a long reach until Frégate.” explains Fred Moreau. “We really worked well with Gurvan on the spi reach. It was tricky a lot between Boeuf and Colombier and we snatched the victory on the last leg before the finish. it’s nice to get on the box, it’s a bit hard for us. All the others are very, very strong, that’s for sure, and we’re missing little things, small transitions that we do less well than them; it’s not much to play. That day was crazy!”
Same players strike again
For the second race of the day, the Race Committee surprised the fleet by announcing a new round the island course, counterclockwise this time; an original format rarely used on the competition. No reason however to destabilize the competitors who had already well spotted the playing ground the previous day.
With downwind, reaching and a lot of close upwind legs, this tour has been extremely demanding especially for the crews, who return rinsed, tired, and exhausted.
The day has been very inspiring for Tim Mourniac and Pierre-Yves Durand, who won a second cup ahead of Jean-Christophe “Daddy” Mourniac and Benjamin Amiot, beaten on the finish line: “But how hard it is! We went through two races, including the round island counterclockwise with a large part sailed close upwind, so yes, it’s hard. Moreover, we got caught up with the young people, we need to compensate a bit. But it’s okay, we were good, Benjamin was excellent! We are super happy, very satisfied with what we did because we led a good part of the race, it’s very nice!
Provisional standings
Two races, two victories: unsurprisingly, Tim Mourniac and Pierre-Yves Durand are the winners of the day. “It was physical, described Tim at the finish. The two races were very demanding. We practically had all the range of legs that one can have in Formula 18: tight reach under spi, unbridled legs on the reach where the crew has a lot of work. Under the island, it’s no less relaxing because the wind is very irregular so you have to change the settings constantly. To sum up, you have to constantly adapt. The crews have been very solicited, the brains too because it was necessary to find the right moves. We are happy to find the way to victory again. We are especially happy to find our communication on board and the pleasure of sailing together.”
Looking ar rhe provisional standings, Henri Demesmaeker & Rasmus Rosengren took a serious option on the victory, 5 points ahead Tim Mourniac and Pierre-Yves Durand. Nothing has yet been decided for the third place on the podium between the two Australian pairs Buevill/Puttman and Colby/Colman.
However, the Mass is not over. If the Race Committee launches two races on Sunday, everything can still happen… In sailing, one know that nothing is finished until it’s finished…