Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier aboard CREDIT MUTUEL marked the start of the second edition of the GLOBE40 with a victory in the first official leg of the event. They crossed the finish line off the city of Mindelo on the island of Sao Vincente in the Cape Verde archipelago at 08:37 UTC today, covering a distance of 1,719 miles in 5 days, 21 hours, and 37 minutes at an average speed of 12.14 knots. However, the race proved challenging.
Midway through the race, approaching the Canary Islands, the NEXT GENERATION BOATING AROUND THE WORLD crew, consisting of Lennart Burke and Melvin Fink, had taken the lead with a margin of around fifteen miles. Their remarkable downwind speed, noted during the prologue, was confirmed with a stunning start from Cadiz, where they also set a new 24-hour race record of 370 miles, surpassing the previous record set in 2023. Yet, a strategic move by CREDIT MUTUEL east of Gran Canaria, combined with a mishap where the German crew lost a key sail (A4) overboard during a manoeuvre, changed the race dynamics.
The German crew briefly regained the lead south of the Canaries, but the experienced French Class40 skippers managed to retake control along the African coast, maintaining their lead until the finish in Mindelo. The BELGIUM OCEAN RACING – CURIUM team, led by Jonas Gerckens and Djemila Tassin, displayed remarkable persistence, eventually overtaking the Germans on the final stretch to Sao Vincente. As the finish line approached, the Belgian team was in the lead with about a fifteen-mile advantage.
In the competition between the “pointus” (straight bows), BARCO BRASIL (José Caldas / Luiz Bolina) and FREEDOM (Maxime Bourcier / François Martin) engaged in a fierce head-to-head battle, remaining nearly inseparable from the moment they passed the Canary Islands, despite the Brazilians initially leading in the first half of the race. When BARCO BRASIL crossed the finish line, the outcome between the two competitors was still uncertain, separated by only five miles.
Among the group including WILSON AROUND THE WORLD (Lisa Berger / Jade Edwards-Leaney), JANGADA RACING (Richard Palmer / Rupert Holmes), and WHISKEY JACK (Mélodie Schaffer – Craig Horsfield), Lisa Berger maintained a fifty-mile lead, while the other two teams, representing Her Majesty’s citizens and the Canadian/American team, were locked in close competition in the race’s latter stages.
This first leg, characterised by downwind sailing, provided a welcome respite for the skippers, who noted that their gear felt lighter as they sailed south. Following the prologue’s warm-up lap of 900 miles, this new week of racing (1,500 miles) marks a significant step in the progression of the second edition of the GLOBE40, leading to the lengthy 7,000-mile journey towards the Indian Ocean and Reunion Island.
In Mindelo, which has been significantly impacted by the onset of Tropical Storm Erin, crews will arrive in a territory that is recovering. The event is pleased to contribute to this renewal, with the support of CREDIT MUTUEL, ensuring nearly 1,200 children can begin their school year with supplies delivered by each boat and air freight. These supplies will be distributed by the Cape Verdean humanitarian organisation.
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SIRIUS EVENEMENTS
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