The top trio on the Transat CIC solo race to New York from Lorient, France are charging towards the finish line averaging over 22kts.
A slow down is forecast which should see some compression, but this Saturday night with just under 700 miles to sail, Yoann Richomme on the Finot Koch designed Paprec Arkéa is over 70 miles ahead of Charlie Dalin.
Germany’s Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer) now in a slightly more defined third place at five miles ahead of Briton Sam Davies (Initiatives Coeur) in fourth.
And since last night Italy’s Ambrogio Beccaria (Alla Grande Pirelli) holds the lead in Class 40 by nearly 40 miles over Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel) who this evening is three or four knots slower than Beccaria on his Musa 40.
We caught up with the leaders today . . . Being in the lead, what changes psychologically?
Yoann Richomme: “What changes is that I feel pressure! I would love to win this damn race! It’s so complicated to get everything right and the goal is still far away.”
“I give it my all, being in the lead gives a form of intensity to each decision that I didn’t feel before. I try to put things into perspective to think calmly and always try to be one step ahead.”
Ambrogio Beccaria: “For the moment, mentally, it doesn’t change anything. But it helps me and encourages me because it shows that I am doing things the right way.
“Our coach, Tanguy Leglatin told us that this race is an ultra trail run and I think he is completely right. Here I am in the lead for the first time in the race but I know that what awaits us is so long that it means nothing.”
