The skipper’s briefing for the DRHEAM-CUP / GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE was held on Sunday afternoon, an opportunity for the Race Manager, Hervé Gauthier, to announce a shortening of two courses: the Class40 and the large monohull will race on the DC 600 and the Multi 2000, IRC, Sun Fast 30 One Design and Classic Yacht classes will sail a total of 490 miles.
The sun was out on Sunday in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin on the day before the fifth edition of the DRHEAM-CUP / GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE, an opportunity for visitors to enjoy all the activities in the village and admire the 70 boats that will leave today at 16:30 to sail on the two courses drawn by the Race Manager Hervé Gautier. Due to the weather conditions expected from Monday, the latter decided to shorten them: the Class40 and the single large yacht, Akela, will race on a 630 Mile course initially designed for the Multi 2000, IRC crewed and double-handed, Sun Fast 30 One Design and the classic yacht (Merry Dancer). The other classes will battle it out on a 490 miles course.
In concrete terms, the first course will take the fleet across the English Channel to the West Shambles mark, then down to Wolf Rock, and on to the DRHEAM-CUP virtual point off the tip of Brittany, then to the Rochebonne plateau before heading back up to La Trinité-sur-Mer. The second will be almost identical, once the fleet leaves the DRHEAM-CUP virtual point to port, they will head straight up to La Trinité-sur-Mer, leaving Houat and Hoëdic to port.
Why were the courses shortened? “After a fairly quick crossing of the Channel, the conditions will lighten with some calms which can considerably delay the slower boats”, explains Hervé Gautier. We therefore deigned a course that would enable all boats to arrive within the time limit, in Sunday morning, 6 o’clock. The fastest boat, MOD70 Eric Defert’s Drekan Energy should take just over 30 hours, and the majority of the fleet is expected on Thursday to Friday night and Saturday to Sunday night.”
Although the wind will drop as the fleet advances, the conditions forecast on Sunday in Cherbourg-en-Cotentin outer harbour will be more favourable for a quick start, with a 15 knot Southerly wind shifting West fairly quickly. The sky will be cloudy at midday before clearing, enabling good visibility for spectators who wish to follow the start from Le Becquet and on the short preliminary leg to the “Urville” spectator buoy from the Saline, Tourlaville, Querqueville and Urville-Nacqueville beaches.
Once they have passed the Urville mark, the fleet will head North on what should be a fairly fast Channel crossing to the West Shambles buoy. They will then sail on a long upwind leg along the English coast before crossing the channel again on a reach, in easing winds. Charlie Capelle, who has been loyal to the DRHEAM-CUP / GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE since its first edition, in the Multi 2000 trimaran ACapella-Proludic-La Chaîne de l’Espoir explains: “I think we’re going to have to get off to a fast start, because in my opinion, the race will play out along the English coast, where we’re going to have to negotiate a few shifts, so we’re going to have to be particularly careful. ”
For Jean-Philippe Cau, President of Lorient Grand Large and a member of the IRC crew on Fastwave 6, one of the favourites in this category, “anything can happen given the conditions, that will change every six hours”, while Noa Geoffroy, who leads a crew from the Yacht Club de Cherbourg on the Sun Fast 30 One Design, adds: “Not a single file agrees. We should have wind across the Channel, then upwind to Wolf Rock, then it’s more uncertain.”
Jean Passini, skipper of Numerobis and president of the C30 class, which brings together the new Sun Fast 30 One Design boats, is not unhappy about these changing conditions: “It’s going to be fun to see how the boat behaves in the very different conditions we’re going to encounter, and it will allow us to compare our speed with the others at all points of sail. ”
Suffice to say that in all the classes competing in the fifth edition of the DRHEAM-CUP / GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE, we can expect some great battles, and the victory, at the end of four or five days at sea for the bulk of the fleet, will have to be earned!
HOW CAN YOU FOLLOW THE RACE?
The race can be followed on the tracking map, updated every fifteen minutes, on the website, as well as on social networks (Facebook, Instagram, X, Linkedin). For those who want to sail remotely, it will also start on Virtual Regatta. The first 100 virtual racers will be entered in a draw to win a DRHEAM-CUP / GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE DE COURSE AU LARGE limited edition watch offered by B.R.M. Chronographs, the race’s partner.
IN SAILOR’S OWN WORDS:
Jonas Gerckens (Red Dolphins Espoirs, Sun Fast 30 One Design): “We are expecting varying conditions, it will be very interesting to discover the Sun Fast 30 One Design. I really love multi-class races like the DRHEAM-CUP, which has between a major meet in few years and mixes pros and amateurs. There’s a bevy of great yachts on a technical course, it’s super interesting.”
Jean-Philippe Cau (Fastwave 6, IRC crewed): “Anything can happen given the conditions, which are changing every six hours, with the second half of the race looking complicated due to light airs. The DRHEAM-CUP is a race that has really found its place in the calendar, people come easily, it’s proof that there was a need. Every two years, alternating with the Fastnet, this is must-sail race.”
Eric Defert (Drekan Energy, Multi 2000): “This is my first DRHEAM-CUP, and I’m very happy to be here. I wanted to do a 600-mile race on my MOD70 on a technical course, which will enable me and the crew to hone our reflexes. I’m expecting a fast start, with a nice reaching leg across the English Channel, then upwind sailing along the English Southern coast to Wolf Rock. We’ll be tacking in around twenty knots of breeze, followed by a lighter reaching run to the DRHEAM-CUP waypoint. We’re going to work hard ! ”
Eric de Turckheim (Teasing Machine, IRC crewed): “I really like this race format, especially the whole south coast of England, which is always extremely interesting from a navigation point of view, with current reversals that require you to protect yourself in the large bays or go out to play further offshore. In just a few editions, the DRHEAM-CUP has become an important race, we didn’t have that king of race in France, it’s great that it has found its place.”
Marc Guillemot (Wellness Training/MG5, Multi 2000): “I’m delighted to be back at the DRHEAM-CUP, which is a very well organized race, a credit to its organizer Jacques Civilise, who has fought hard to put on this event. The gamble paid off, and in each class we can expect some great battles on a course that’s always interesting. All the ingredients are there to make this one a great edition.”
Pierre Bouhanna (Jambo, IRC crewed): “It’s exciting to take part in these races, which mix boats, amateurs and professionals, especially as it’s superbly organized, the organizing team is very friendly and efficient, and we’re very happy to be here! ”
Vincent Delaroche (Merry Dancer, classic yacht): “Merry Dancer is a William Fife yacht built in Scotland in 1938 and based in Bénodet, which has taken all my holidays since I bought her 22 years ago. In her time, she was one of the best racing boats, really designed for offshore sailing, she has crossed the Atlantic several times. This DRHEAM-CUP was an opportunity to take my family on a 600 mile race, the aim is to enjoy it.”
Guy Delcroix (Georgia, IRC double-handed): “This is my fourth double-handed appearance on Georgia, and there are a lot of us in the double-handed IRC class, so it’s great fun. We’re very happy to be coming to Cherbourg, where we are always welcomed warmly. We needed a French Fastnet, and the DRHEAM-CUP fulfils that role very well ! ”
Will Harris (Red Ruby, IRC double-handed): “Jonathan McKee called me to ask if I’d be available to race in the DRHEAM-CUP, which is a great opportunity for me because I like sailing double-handed in IRC, especially with Jonathan who has a lot of experience, having already sailed the Volvo Ocean Race and the America’s Cup. I’m very happy to be here in Cherbourg, this DRHEAM-CUP is going to be a great competition between the French and the English in the double-handed IRC class. Before that, there’s the Euro Football final, and we’re going to be right behind England, hoping we’ll win on the pitch and then on the water ! “
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