Antoine Magré’s radical Mach 50 Palanad 4 finished third on the water in the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race behind Pace and Varuna 6, clocking an elapsed time of 8 days 1 hour 44 minutes 31 seconds. After IRC time correction, the Sam Manuard-designed scow holds second place overall, with Varuna now third.
Describing the experience on Palanad 4, Magré stated, “The Round Britain and Ireland Race was a real test, with up to 30 knots but also six complete shutdowns. Keeping pace with Varuna was especially satisfying. We caught her off Ireland and at Muckle Flugga, where the scow bow really comes into its own.”
He noted that Palanad 4, only 13 months old, has already sailed 28,000 miles, proving its strength and competitiveness under IRC while highlighting areas for improvement for next year.
Although Palanad 4 is not a Class40, its radical scow bow springs from the same design thinking as the three smaller Class40s competing in the race. An extraordinary battle unfolded among Penfret, Swift, and Gambit, culminating in a closely contested outcome decided in the Hearing Room.
The fight among the Class40s has been one of the fiercest contests in the race’s history. Exiting the Solent, Swift held a narrow advantage at No Man’s Land Fort. After 400 miles of racing, Swift maintained its lead at Bull Rock, with Penfret trailing by 15 minutes and Gambit by 45 minutes. However, the order shifted dramatically on the long leg to St Kilda when Penfret surged into the lead, opening an hour and 15-minute advantage over Swift, while Gambit trailed by 2 hours 33 minutes.
The deltas from the race revealed that the Class40 battle was never straightforward; the lead changed three times, with Penfret fastest on four of the eight completed sections, while Swift and Gambit were fastest on two each.
As the race progressed, Gambit responded strongly during the 160nm leg to Muckle Flugga, regaining second place while Penfret’s advantage diminished to 51 minutes.
After racing over 500nm into the North Sea, Swift regained second place, 1 hour and 15 minutes behind Penfret. The competition intensified as Swift clawed back against Penfret, reducing the lead to just 26 minutes.
In a thrilling finish, Le Boucher’s Penfret crossed the line first in an elapsed time of 9 days 29 minutes and 40 seconds, followed by Greg Leonard’s Swift, just 1 hour and 28 minutes later, and Jon Tyrrell’s Gambit in third. However, Penfret was deemed to have not sailed the proper course during a Hearing.
Despite the disappointment, Le Boucher expressed positivity about the experience, noting, “It was a fantastic battle with three teams so competitive throughout. This race has been a great and really valuable experience.”
Ultimately, the Class40 Division of the RORC Round Britain and Ireland Race was won by Greg Leonard’s Swift, with Daniel Jones’ Gambit taking second place. Leonard remarked on the intense and exhilarating nature of racing in the Class40 fleet, which has evolved to ensure no respite or quarter is given throughout the race.
“The course itself is spectacular,” Leonard added. “If I do this race again and you could order that weather for me, I’d be grateful. It’s an epic race.”
Louay Habib/RORC
For more details, visit the official website at www.roundbritainandireland.rorc.org.
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