It was at 1126 hours BST on Sunday that Franck Cammas and his ten crew took victory in the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland off the Royal Yacht Squadron in Cowes on the Isle of Wight. By covering the 1,802 miles in 5 days 21 hours and 26 minutes at an average speed of 12.74 knots, the French crew considerably improved on the best time over this course which had previously been in the hands of the British sailors Dee Cafari and Sam Davies since 2009.
Record breaker - Groupama finishing the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race 2010 - Photo Patrick Eden RORC
“Our arrival in the Isle of Wight was pretty magical. We powered along the island at over twenty knots under spinnaker before tacking against the current in the Solent. On crossing the finish line off the Squadron, the exhaustion swept over us. That’s how you build a team; it’s important” said Jean-Luc Nélias, navigator aboard Groupama 70.
As the winner of the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland tied up to the dock in the port of Cowes, the bottle of champagne was passed around the whole crew. Very much in demand, Franck Cammas had to do a steady stream of telephone interviews and after his first confrontation against a Volvo Ocean Race specialist, the skipper of Groupama 70 was ready and waiting: “Our aim in this race was to see how the work this new team, on a new boat, has been doing over the past six months would measure up to a reference like Telefonica. The battle was great and very close-fought. We really battled hard. The confrontation was worth its weight in gold with the crew forced to sail under pressure for the first time since Groupama’s engagement in the Volvo. This victory has motivated the whole team to push themselves as hard as they can. As far as the record is concerned, it’s the icing on the cake” explains a happy Franck Cammas.
Record breaker - Groupama celebrating finishing the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race 2010 - Photo Patrick Eden RORC
By taking 14 hours and 3 minutes less time than the previous Sevenstar RBI reference, Groupama 70 has confirmed the fast pace of these Volvo Ocean Race monohulls, which are capable of peak speeds in excess of 30 knots, as well as regularly sailing faster than the strength of the wind, like the multihulls that the skipper of Groupama is so familiar with.
However, the greatest satisfaction for the recent winner of the Jules Verne Trophy is a human one: “We have a new team. None of my crew come from the multihull and the three Groupama trimarans. It was necessary for me to become integrated. For that there’s nothing more valuable than a race to get to know each other well and gain trust. I’ve learnt more in six days of racing than in six months of training in Lorient during our day sails. This victory binds our crew for the future”.
Next up the crew will quickly have to head back out to sea to return to the base in Lorient: “We’ll have left before Telefonica arrives. We’re not being prudish, but our work schedule is a busy one and every minute counts until the start of the Volvo in November 2011. It would be a mistake to underestimate our rivals” concludes Jean-Luc Nélias.
Groupama Team Translated by Kate Jennings – Expression
– Time of passage over the finish line: 1126 hours BST
– Race time: 5 days 21 hours and 26 minutes
– Average speed over the 1,802 mile course: 12.74 knots
– Lead over the previous record: 14 hours and 3 minutes
Crew of Groupama 70
1. Franck Cammas, skipper
2. Jean-Luc Nélias, navigator
3. Laurent Pagès, watch leader
4. Magnus Woxen, watch leader
5. Charles Caudrelier, trimmer
6. Erwan Israël, trimmer, under 30 years of age
7. Martin Strömberg, trimmer and pitman, under 30 years of age
8. Sébastien Marsset, trimmer and pitman, under 30 years of age
9. Mike Pammenter, bowman, under 30 years of age
10. Martin Krite, bowman, under 30 years of age
11. Yann Riou, media crew
Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race :Telefonica Azul takes 2nd place
Sunday 29 August 16:38:09 (GMT+1) – Volvo Open 70 Teléfonica Azul crossed the Royal Yacht Squadron Line to claim second place in the 2010 Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race. Teléfonica Azul finished the race well inside the old record. They started the race like a bat out of hell, screaming down the Solent at over 25 knots, but a rigging problem meant that they were overtaken by Groupama and they never managed to catch them. Teléfonica Azul crewman, Neal McDonald, describes the turning point in the race:
“The low point was having a fitting break at the top of Scotland that prevented us using our heavy weather jib for 10 hours. This allowed Groupama to get from 20 miles behind to 30 miles in front – heart breaking from a racing point of view but the sort of price you pay in these type of racing boats when things break. When the failure occurred it was pitch black (as it always is when things go wrong!) and blowing 35 knots in a horrific seaway. But after that, it was fantastic sailing in flat water, something I’ve never experienced before around Scotland. The fastest part was just off the back of the Isle of Wight and these boats are great to sail, they’re just a big skiff. The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland was a really fantastic race.”
Telefonica Azul finishing the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race 2010 Photo - Patrick Eden RORC
Jonny Malbon’s IMOCA 60, Artemis Ocean Racing should be the next boat to finish. They have been racing on their own virtually the whole way around the track, but they are most definitely not cruising, as crew member Andy Tourell explains: “Our current ETA is around 01:00 so the IMOCA 60 course record* is going to be extremely close. As far as the overall IRC is concerned, the rest of the fleet should slow as they approach the Isles of Scilly, and for the final leg the breeze is due to drop and clock round to the northeast, so it is all still to play for!”
*Artemis Ocean Racing need to finish by 01:30:53 on Monday 30 August, to beat the IMOCA 60 record set by Aviva in 2006 of 6 days, 11 hours, 30 min and 53 secs.
At 1800 BST, the Overall handicap leader, Piet Vroon’s Ker 46, Tonnere de Breskens has reached the southwest tip of Ireland with just over 400 miles to go. The wind is north to northwest at about 14 knots. The British Keelboat Academy’s TP52, John Merricks II has been absolutely flying along and is now 30 miles ahead of Tonnerre on the water. The lighter conditions may well suit the high performance TP52 rather than Tonnerre de Breskens. Lithuanian Volvo 60 Ambersail is now halfway across the Irish Sea and still in second place overall, after time correction.
In IRC One, Steven Anderson’s First 40.7, Encore still leads the class and rounded St. Kilda just after 1800 BST. Encore immediately gybed towards Ireland, presumably to try to avoid the high pressure which is coming in from the west. Adrian Lower’s Swan 44, Selene is still leading IRC Two. However, with over 900 miles to go, the ridge of high pressure will not be good news for the class and it will be quite a few days before they finish the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.
Race report by Louay Habib
