The year 2022 was enthralling with real sea adventures in Iceland around of the world, in the nautical stadiums of the Océan Fifty, of the F50 or under the surface with amazing discoveries. Back in photos on a well marked year.
FEBRUARY 9: PILLIARD FAILED
AFTER CAPE HORN, Romain Pilliard and Alex Pella, engaged in an upside down world tour, had taken refuge in the channels of Patagonia to let through a great depression that blocked their way to the Pacific. But at 1 a.m., the skipper of the trimaran Use It Again informed his ground crew that he had run aground on the rocks in Cook Inlet. Maintained by the Chilean Navy, the multihull was then taken ashore in Ushuaïa for repairs.
We later learned of Alex Pella’s decision to throw in the towel while Romain Pilliard decided to continue adventure for the sake of adventure with multiple stopovers in the South Pacific. Jean-Luc Van Den Heede can rest easy, his 2004 record of 122 days and 14 hours is unbeaten. Back last August, the skipper of Use It Again is entered in the Ultim category on the 2022 Route du Rhum.
FEBRUARY 12: ALEX OZON, AGAIN!
HE WAS THE MAN to beat in this 10th edition of Transsquare but for the second consecutive time, after the victory in 2018 on his Bepox 990 in CP/epoxy, Alex Ozon flew over the race. Very comfortable downwind at the helm of his Sun Fast 3300, which cruised at over 20 knots in the trade winds, the Royan native
it is definitely out of size!
MARCH 9: DISCOVERY OF THE RESISTANCE
IT IS 3,000 M DEEPMore than a century after her sinking (1915), Ernest Shackleton’s 44-metre three-masted was discovered by Mensun Bound, archaeologist and expedition director of the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust. The wreck was in Wedell Sea 6 km from the coordinates noted by Frank Worsley, Shackleton’s navigator. An expedition of over 10 million dollars funded by an anonymous donor for an unexpected result. The wooden Endurance is in a fantastic state of repair, the rudder is intact and the rig is stacked against the rail as if the crew had just stepped off the boat.
MARCH 25: FINAL CLASH
THE FIRE SLOWS DOWN FROM SUMMER 2021 and the launch, in Concarneau, of the Ultim designed by VPLP and the teams of François Gabart. Very quickly, the class expressed doubts about the trimaran’s compliance with the class rules. The debate is over its cockpit located below deck, which improves aerodynamics and lowers the Ultim’s center of gravity. A design contested by the class under a rule requiring only one maneuver on the bridge.
In September, they decide not to broadcast their discussions in broad daylight before the Transat Jacques Vabre and a derogation is granted to François Gabart so that he can start the tender, accompanied by an obligation to comply after the transat. But the boat is not modified, experts come and go, discussions intensify and SVR Lazartigue publishes a scathing press release on March 25, 2022 before launching legal action in May which will prove him right (July). A new waiver is granted, the Ultim class do not appeal but remind them of their duty to comply. Unfortunately, the topic is not closed..
17-23 APRIL: LES VOILES DE SAINT-BARTH
AFTER TWO EDITIONS CANCELED Due to the pandemic, the Voiles de St-Barth made their big comeback in 2022 in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. From April 17 to 23, the battle on the water was fierce between 74 competitors in ten categories. Contact start, “hot potato” crossings and crazy leeward heaths, the Voiles de St-Barth offer every year a fierce battle that the numerous photographers on site happily immortalize, and a real sporting challenge for sailors.
There were many twists and turns throughout the week, the trade winds blew
with astonishing regularity and in several classes, it was necessary to wait until the last day of racing to know, not only the winner, but
also the podium. In Maxi/Racing, the yachts that have clearly forged the legend of this regatta are Vesper, the 72-footer helmed by Jim Swartz, which won ahead of the 74-footer Bella Mente.
Third on this podium, Deep Blue (photo) built by the Spanish shipyard King Marine is a monster of technology. Launched in 2020 in Valence, she has a displacement of an impressive 25,000 kg while displaying a draft of 7 meters associated with a state-of-the-art lifting keel… 85 feet long, she requires a crew of more than twenty people to operate her in racing mode. Also noteworthy is the great victory of the JPK 10.30 Blue Skies skippered by Gérard Quenot in the CSA 6 category which, after the podium in doubles on the Transquadra, continued brilliantly on the Voiles de St-Barth. What a better end to a beautiful West Indian season!
14-18 APRIL: EASTER ON THE BALCONY
FOR THE RETURN OF THE SPI WEST France on its usual dates, Pascal’s weekend had dressed up in its best clothes. Brilliant sun, breeze and numerous spectators so as not to miss anything of the great regatta of French habitable sailing. For this 44th edition, no less than 450 boats and 2,500 competitors resisted during four days of intense racing in Quiberon Bay.
The fleets were spread over five rounds of racing including the usual one-designs (J/80, J/70, Diam 24 OD, Open 5.70, First 24, Grand Surprise, Mach 6.5, Open 7.50, First 31.7, Figaro 3, Mini 6.50, ETF 26 and Class40) but also the Multi 2000, the habitable OSIRIS and the IRC (double, mixed double and crew). Despite the frankly fluctuating wind, the various regatta committees still managed to send one hundred and eight departures to the delight of the crews who have already made an appointment from 7 to 10 April 2023 for the 45th edition!
APRIL 18: 35 YEARS FOR THE CANCALAISE
IT WAS A GREAT PARTY, which was held in 1987 on the slipway of Cancale with numerous dories, the public and the presence of Eric Tabarly for the launching of this replica of the Pearl, one of the largest and most beautiful bisquines built in Cancale. Since then she has been sailing around 140 days a year, with priority boarding
members of the association (400 members). But also all during commercial voyages in the Chausey archipelago or in the bay of Saint-Malo, but also for cruises with more distant stopovers, such as Dahouet, Binic, Brest or Douarnenez.
His birthday was celebrated on May 1st on the bank of Port Picain, in Cancale of course, and he received a new mainmast (19 meters) as a gift. An anticipated gift and already installed on board: it is a magnificent spar built in laminated fir by the marine carpenters of the no less famous Chantiers du Guip.
23-30 APRIL: OLYMPISM IS ILLUSTRATED IN HYÈRES
THE FRENCH HAVE DONE THE FILLING charm on the lake of Hyères. Two years before the Paris Olympics, this spring harvest (11 medals – 2 in gold, 5 in
silver and 4 in bronze) announces the color of a French team in full confidence. Like the Erwan Fisher/Clément Péquin duo in the 49er who took a promising 3rd place against stiff competition on this acrobatic mount.
This event was also an opportunity to innovate with the first installation of self-propelled buoys. They are managed via a simple smartphone and remain in position without a mooring rope, without anchoring, therefore without damaging the seabed. After a week of racing held in variable conditions, the Italians finished on the podium in nine of the ten disciplines
Olympic Games. Historic net group for the Blues!
MAY 11-15: FIFTY OCEANS THAT TAKE PLACE
THE PRO SAILING TOURS 2022, the new Ocean Fifty circuit, kicked off its second season with an extraordinary visit to Corsica. On the program, inshore racing followed by a 24-hour crewed grand ride. The first day of the first episode of the Mediterranean took place in a dream setting against the backdrop of chalk cliffs dominated by the citadel of Bonifacio, on a blue sea and under a summer sun. Seven Ocean Fiftys put on a show with winds that took some time to settle before allowing the race committee to send out four legs, including an 18-mile coastal course as close as possible to the Lavezzi Islands.
The Ocean Fifty, these sea mopeds capable of touching 40 top knots, had fun slaloming between the passenger shuttles and the many yachtsmen who flocked to enjoy the show! Following Leyton’s (Sam Goodchild) victory in 2021, Arkema 4, ridden by Quentin Vlamynck, took the win this year by winning the Final Rush between Cowes and Roscoff in early July.
JUNE 17: ICELANDIC STOP AT IMOCA
AN OFFSHORE RACE neutralized in a context of potentially dangerous weather conditions for skippers, was simply unheard of! But it was with great reluctance that the Vendée Arctic race committee had to throw in the towel. With winds expected to exceed 50 knots and fearsome seas expected off the north-east of Iceland, the island around which the 25 IMOCA boats were initially to sail, the situation could quickly turn into a disaster.
For reasons of fair play and equity, the race management then authorized the skippers to take cover after passing through the gate located in southeast Iceland. Virtual door that has actually become the finish line. For the top fleet – the future podium – made up of Apivia, LinkedOut and Charal, gaining a foothold in the Icelandic fjords was not an easy task amidst violent gusts coming down from the mountains, heavy winds and ultra-limited engines. Meanwhile, these images of the IMOCAs at anchor have been making the rounds of the ocean racing world…
