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Press Release Joërg Riechers wins over Bertrand Delesne
The characteristic with finishing in the islands is that close to the end, gaps can suddenly widen if the wind comes to fall.
Bertrand Delesne (Prati’Buches) who had managed to catch up with Joërg Riechers (Mare.de) finally had a lot of troubles finishing the last NM to Horta. Small causes, big effects : 1h44 minutes and 51 seconds separate both first solo sailors. The two main leaders in prototypes offered a breathless finish as a few hours before the arrival, nobody could say who would win. Joërg Riechers chose to round south Pico island when Bertrand Delesne favored a northern approach of the archipelago, victory could be on any size. Finally the German sailor crossed the finishing line first, just before the wind faded away. Arriving at 22h17’10”, the skipper of “Mare.de” also set up a new record between the harbor of vendee and the Faial Island in 6 days 10 hours 30 minutes and 10 seconds with an average speed of 8.22 knots.
Reactions of the skippers when arriving in Horta
Joërg Riechers
Everything for speed
“First of all, I am really happy, I knew I had a good speed…. When, after the Cape Finisterre, I heard I was leading,, I kept on pushing the boat to maintain the others at a good distance.”
The arrival in the Archipelago of the Azores
“I remained on a course relatively close to the shortest route, as I saw I could benefit from enough strong North-east winds. I had planned to go south when arriving in the archipelago. There just has been a moment when I found myself in a stormy squall with no wind and then I found it hard to find good wind angles to go down to Horta and I think that I’ve lost ground here.”
His duel with Bertrand Delesne
“I knew it would be hot between us. Bertrand is also very fast and there have never been big gaps between us. I thing the bigger gap has been 20 NM, isn’t it ? Anyway with Bertrand, I’m always nervous.”
His first victory on a transoceanic crossing
“I must confess that when passing La Coruña, I could not help thinking about my withdrawal from the transt 6,50 (Joërg had to withdraw due to keel problems). Once the Cape Finisterre was behind me, I thought that I had lifted the curse. I was more serene to attack.”
The second leg
“We”ll see the results for this first leg. But I think it should be a duel between bertrand and I. Anyway, this campaign is great, I won the Trophée Marie-Agnès Péron, the Mini-Pavois and now, this leg…. I feel really confident for the Route du Rhum that will be my next step (Joërg will participate on a Class 40). It’s great. It’s a wonderful preparation : a tough, tiring, oceanic race…”
Bertrand Delesne
Joërg Riechers’ victory
“I am really happy for Joërg. He has led the race for a while. He has worked a lot and I respect him a lot. The race has been played out at the end. He dared going south of Pico, I did not wand to, he was right.”
The way back
“We already had some duels last year, I think that the battle will be magnificent on the way back.”
His strategy
“From the beginning, I wanted to favor a southern course. Then, there has been some times I had to slow down a bit, the boat’s reactions depend on what we give her. I also aimed at arriving with a boat in perfect state. My only one damage : when Nico Boidevezi told me he had broken his bowsprit. I was talking with him on the VHF when the boat broached and I broke my main autopilot. I’ve finished the whole leg with the second pilot.”
The balance of the first leg
I am really happy. It’s already good to be second and the difference is not impossible to recover. It promises us a nice duel on the way back. Everything is still possible.”
Sébastien Rogues, 3rd place, Andrea Caracci 4th
“EOLE Génération GDF Suez” and “Speedy Maltese” respectively arrived at 3h03’10” and 3h20’44” (UTC) in the 3rd and 4th place.
Reaction of Sébastien Rogues :
“I am really happy of my race. I still lack experience on this boat comparing with skippers like Joërg or Bertrand. Therefore, I’ve chose to remain on a Northern course in order not to suffer too much the wind and waves. The end has been tough : I was short of sleep and it is never easy to rest when sailing close to the coasts. I had some hallucinations but I could hang on.”
Reaction of Andrea Caracci :
“I am both happy and very upset. Happy because although I did not train a lot, I could keep a rhythm similar to the first ones. It’s a good sign. Upset, because Sébastien passed me in the Channel whereas I was in front of him. I am from Mediterranean sea. I know all the traps of the islands, and nevertheless, I got trapped… I found myself in an area with no wind and I let the third place go.”
 lundi 9 août 2010
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