Ocean Racing

Four Gone

The Imoca monohull race, at the Grand Prix Petit Navire, is not a major event in the 2007 yachting calendar, but winning is always a good feeling and, in taking the victory, Vincent Riou - on the new PRB - will have, no doubt, been able to put painful memories of his Route du Rhum dismasting completely behind him.

The first night of this Cross Channel race was a tedious one for the four entrants, as they battled very weak winds, around Ushant, and PRB did not come through on top; the leader then was Dominique Wavre on Téménos. PRB came into its own though and overtook the Swiss boat when the monohulls encountered 15 to 25 knots along the English coast.

Riou and crew were feeling pretty confident, during the second night, until they spotted lights coming up on them and realised that Jan Le Cam, whose VM Materiaux had not found the light airs to its liking, had also overtaken Wavre.

It was a fierce battle to the finish and Le Cam's boat, which had been 14 miles behind Riou, at the 2000 Monday positions, crossed the finishing line - 14 hours later - just 8 minutes behind PRB! Dominique Wavre arrived less than half an hour later.

It's early days, but could this be Vendée pointer?

Marian Martin/BYM News

05/03/07