#justine mettraux

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Justine Mettraux is the first woman finisher of the 2024-25 Vendée Globe!

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Leaders command at season debut

The top winter Primo-Cup Trophée Credit Suisse regatta, that run from February 6-9, 2020, culminated this weekend. Alongside the regular competitors — J/70, Smeralda 888, Longtze Premier, Melges 20 — the Yacht Club of Monaco welcomed the L30 plus the flying dinghy ONefly exhibition fleet. 

This classic event attracted 450 sailors on some 100 boats divided into six classes, representing 20 countries, who sailed in temperatures of 14oC in 5-15 knots of wind on a flat sea under the Mediterranean sun.   

Dock Side

Dock Side

J/70 — a trial run for everyone

From day one, the Russians on Elf were straight out of the starting blocks with three 2nd places and a 6th in the four races completed by the 65-strong fleet, ensuring them victory. It was not a done deal behind them with Cer Aprotec – Ville de Genève finally clinching 2nd and the YCM’s Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spottino) 3rd. In the Corinthian (amateur) category, the British team on Brutus took 1st equal on points with Cesare Gabasio (Tinnj70) followed by Stefano Roberti (Piccinina), both YCM members.

These results give some indication of what could happen at the J/70 World Championship 2021 to be held in Monaco from 18-23 October. “The field at this Primo Cup augurs well for a high level at the Worlds. We are really looking forward to it,” says the G-Spottino helmsman whose goal is a medal at home.

J/70

J/70

L30 — from offshore to the Primo Cup

As for the L30 fleet, the boat chosen for the first offshore World Championship, they had every reason to be present, with eight boats representing as many nations making their first tacks and gybes on the Monaco race area. Strong from the start, the Belgian Jonas Gerckens fended off Anastasia Kolesnichenko and her crew to win this event, with YCM’s Denis Lankin in 3rd. 

Developed by Ukrainian Olympic medallist Rodion Luka in collaboration with RC44 designer, Andrej Justin, the 30-footer is a double-hander for those who want to be at the Paris Olympics in 2024, which will host the offshore mixed-doubles class. (Photo insert: L30 @Carlo Borlenghi)

Results as expected

Longtze Premier: There are not enough superlatives to describe the winning form of the Swiss on Shensu for a faultless performance throughout the regatta in the Longtze Premier class. It proved impossible for the equally impressive team on Qi to dislodge them, so 2nd for them, with Steffen Schneider (Outsider) in 3rd.

Smeralda 888: In the Smeralda 888, Timofey Sukhotin (Beda) won the match ahead of Botta Dritta and Black Star. The Primo Cup marks the start of their Championship for the season, currently led by Timofey Sukhotin who temporarily dethrones 2019 title holder, Charles de Bourbon des Deux-Siciles, class president. The fleet will be racing again in Monaco for the Spring Challenge, from March 20-22. (Photo: Smeralda 888 @Carlo Borlenghi)

Melges 20: In the Melges 20, two YCM members, Valentin Zavadnikov (Oleg Reps) and Anatoly Karachinsky (Path) took 1st and 3rd, with Russian Alexander Mikhaylik (Alex Team) in 3rd.

Marine dragonflies debut

In Monaco for the first time was a fleet of Onefly dinghies, a winged and foiled one-design that attracted spectators and competitors alike. These marine dragonflies can take off and quickly get up to speeds of 8 knots and up, even in light airs. (Photo: Onefly @Carlo  Borlenghi)

Although not officially competing in the Primo Cup, the ten boats put on a show at the foot of the Rock, alternating displays and races. Christopher Pratt, skipper of numerous Jacques-Vabre Transats and countless Solitaire du Figaro solo races was one of the headliners who accepted the YCM’s invitation: “It’s great to be back in the Principality and sailing on such an appealing boat as the Onefly. We are here at the foot of the mountains, between two systems – east and west – it’s really exceptional.”

Official boat christenings

As well as the racing, there were two official boat christenings, complete with champagne broken on the hulls to wish them good luck: Nico Poons’ J/70 Charisma and Timofey Sukhotin’s Smeralda 888 Beda. Charles de Bourbon des Deux-Siciles, owner of the Smeralda 888 Vamos mi Amor,  Bernard d’Alessandri, and YCM Board Committee members attend the ceremony.

36th Primo Cup final rankings

J/70

Mikhail Sheremetev (Elf) – RUS: 12 points

Nelson Mettraux (CER APROTEC-Ville de Genève) – SUI: 26 points

Giangiacomo Serena di Lapigio (G-Spottino) – MON: 32 points

J/70 Corinthian

Charles Thompson (Brutus– GBR: 60 points

Cesare Gabasio (Tinnj70) – MON: 60 points

Stefano Roberti (Piccinina) – MON: 67 points

Smeralda 888

Timofey Sukhotin (Beda) – MON: 8 points

Francesco Vauban (Botta Dritta) – MON: 10 points

Paolo Rotelli (Black Star) – MON: 14 points

Longtze Premier

Jarmo Wieland (Shensu) – SUI: 5 points

Franck Beat (Qi) – SUI: 7 points

Steffen Schneider (Outsider) – SUI: 13 points

L30

Jonas Gerckens (Jonas Gerckens) – BEL: 9 points

Anastasia Kolesnichenko (Humphreys Conrad) – GBR: 10 points

Denis Lankin (Maria Naboka) – MON: 11 points

Melges 20

Valentin Zavadnikov (Oleg Reps) – MON: 12 points

Alexander Mikhaylik (Alex Team) – RUS: 13 points

Anatoly Karachinsky (Path) – MON: 14 points

Onefly 

Matisse Pacaud – FRA: 8 points

Nicolas Berenger – FRA: 15 points

Eliot Bourgeois – FRA: 15 points

Mark your calendars

As the curtain fell on this 36th Primo Cup – Trophée Credit Suisse, many boats left, except for many of the J/70s and Melges 20s who will be back on the water for the fifth and final Act of the Monaco Sportsboat Winter Series, from March 5-8, 2020.  

Today’s Quote

“A sailor is an artist whose medium is the wind.” Webb Chiles

Primo Cup vintage year culminated this weekend with 450 sailors from 20 countries Leaders command at season debut The top winter Primo-Cup Trophée Credit Suisse regatta, that run from February 6-9, 2020, culminated this weekend.

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SAIL 2016 - Douarnenez Horta Solo 2016 - Sous le signe du sport et de la convivialité - 2016

24 agosto 2016 – Horta : un tel parcours sonne comme une évidence tant les deux villes ont des traits de caractères similaires : un fort vécu maritime, un même sens de l’accueil et de l’esprit de fête, un ancrage culturel solide. C’est le double pari de la Douarnenez Horta Solo : réunir un plateau de qualité pour la dernière épreuve du Championnat de France tout en veillant à la chaleur des relations humaines. Pour cette dernière épreuve de la saison, on pouvait difficilement rêver meilleur plateau. Ne manqueront à l��appel qu’Alexis Loison, actuel 4e du Championnat de France Elite de Course au Large en Solitaire, contraint de déclarer forfait sur avis médical et Benjamin Augereau qui, lors de son convoyage, est entré en collision avec un bateau de pêche dans le raz de Sein, endommageant gravement son voilier. Enfin, on notera l’absence du contingent des coureurs britanniques qui s’illustraient dans le circuit depuis quelques années, avant que leur sponsor titre ne décide de mettre la clé sous la porte brutalement, à l’issue de la Solitaire Eric Bompard Le Figaro. Ce sont donc six ou sept coureurs qui auraient pu compléter un plateau déjà bien garni. Bizuths du large : une double découvertePour la moitié des coureurs, ce sera une première. Ils vont découvrir les pièges de la navigation à l’abord de l’archipel des Açores, la spécificité de ce parcours aux conditions souvent changeantes. Savoir bien négocier les transitions sur une étape au large sera une des clés du succès. Parmi ces néophytes ont trouve l’actuel leader du classement général des bizuths, Pierre Quiroga (Skipper Espoir CEM), Sophie Faguet (Région Normandie) ou Théo Moussion (#theoenfigaro) pour qui ce sera aussi la découverte du grand large en course en solitaire. Pour tous ces navigateurs, il va falloir découvrir un autre rythme de course, essayer de planifier une stratégie sur quelques jours, savoir doser ses options entre audace et sagesse. La récompense, ce sera l’arrivée sur les Açores, la découverte des îles volcaniques, d’une faune foisonnante avant l’accueil exceptionnel des gens de Horta. Ceux pour qui les Açores seront une première :Aymeric Decroocq (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Espoir) – Corentin Douguet (Sofinther – Un Maillot pour la Vie) - Sophie Faguet (Région Normandie) – Arnaud Godart-Philippe (Faun Environnement) – Martin Le Pape (Bellocq Paysages) – Nicolas Lunven (Generali) – Théo Moussion (#THEOENFIGARO) – Pierre Quiroga (Skipper Espoir CEM) Les récidivistes : en Figaro ou en MiniIls ont déjà pu apprécier l’escale açorienne, les levers de soleil sur le Pico, plus haut sommet du Portugal, les incursions chez Peter Café Sport. Ils connaissent les pièges de l’atterrage sur l’archipel quand il faut garder toute sa lucidité pour éviter les dévents des îles. Certains ont découvert le parcours sur Les Sables – Les Açores – Les Sables en Mini 6,50. C’est le cas de Damien Cloarec (Saferail), Tanguy Le Turquais (Lizmer Capitole Finance) ou bien encore Justine Mettraux (Network). D’autres ont pu participer à la première édition de la course la Lorient Horta Solo, tels Anthony Marchand (Ovimpex Secours Populaire), Gildas Morvan (Cercle Vert), Yoann Richomme (Skipper MACIF 2014) ou Sébastien Simon (Bretagne Crédit Mutuel Performance). Enfin, ils sont deux à avoir découvert le parcours en Mini, puis confirmé sur le circuit Figaro, Charlie Dalin (Skipper MACIF 2015) et Xavier Macaire (Chemins d’Océans). Mise en placeQue ce soit à l’occasion des Grand Prix Guyader ou des différentes épreuves de Mini, nombre de coureurs sont des familiers de Douarnenez. Réunis lundi soir pour l’inauguration de l’événement, ils étaient nombreux à souligner la chaleur de l’accueil, le caractère profondément familial de l’organisation, loin des grands barnums de certaines épreuves. Une sorte de bouffée d’air frais avant même de prendre le large. D’ici samedi les skippers devront satisfaire à certaines obligations : contrôles de jauge, briefing sécurité ce lundi, briefing météo et départ le vendredi 26, ainsi qu’une soirée de rencontre entre coureurs et organisation le mercredi 24 août. Mettre du liant reste une spécialité locale. FROM http://www.navigamus.info/2016/08/douarnenez-horta-solo-sous-le-signe-du.html

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It's a rule this time around that each VOR team must include at least two sailors under 30. The home office must have issued an edict to highlight them, because all the OBRs have been uploading videos of their under-30s over the past few days.

You will not be surprised to learn which video was my favorite. :-)

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Justine Mettraux shows us how she washes her long hair aboard an IMOCA

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The last few days of light winds have been frustrating for the two Vendée Globe leaders but gentler winds have actually been a chance for Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) to find time to recharge their energy and triple check their boats for the final stage back to Les Sables d’Olonne.

This afternoon they are accelerating in the southeasterly trade winds on what will be a very long tack all the way north back into the Northern Hemisphere maybe as far as the Canary Islands. Their gap with Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil, 3rd) is likely to widen while Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE, 4th) is doing his best to adapt to racing without his essential J2 headsail. Getting out of a tough depression is the primary objective of the chasing pack of Paul Meilhat (Biotherm, 5th) to Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team Snef, 10th). And Romain Attanasio (Fortinet Best Western, 14th) and Damien Seguin (Groupe APICIL, 15th) have rounded Cape Horn, which race veteran Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère – Armor Lux, 16th) on his sixth Vendée Globe should pass tomorrow.

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The first arrival in Les Sables d’Olonne is predicted to be sometime between January 14th and 16th.

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With just 238 miles between fifth placed Jérémie Beyou (Charal) and 11th positioned Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ V) a veritable cavalcade of Vendée Globe skippers will pass Cape Horn tomorrow. At forecast speeds they should pass with 12 or 13 hours from early Saturday morning in a more compact grouping in the end than the last edition when nine skippers passed within 25 hours, all on or around Day 57.

Approaching his seventh rounding of the Horn, Germany’s Boris Herrmann has the highest number of passages to his credit of this gorup, set to cross in eighth, whilst it will be the first time solo for sixth placed Nico Lunven (HOLCIM PRB), eighth placed Paul Meilhat (Biotherm), ninth placed Brit Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) and Switzerland’s 10th placed Justine Mettraux (TeamWork Team Snef). They should cross quite far off the rock given the brisk conditions they will be experiencing and certainly the first will still be in the dark. 

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After 40 days at sea more than 800 miles separate the leading trio – Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) and Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) – from their pursuers. Nevertheless, this second group which extends from Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE, 4th) to Justine Mettraux (TeamWork-Team Snef, 11th) is progressing in the same giant low pressure system as the leaders.

Vendée Globe weather consultant, Christian Dumard explains: “The first group are ahead of a small front which is part of this large depression system. The others are progressing around an anticyclone and are all starting to advance in this system. It is therefore the same weather system from Charlie Dalin to Justine Mettraux. Let's hope it lasts!"

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Ten skippers have now passed Cape Leeuwin, the most recent being Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) at 2213hrs UTC the winner of the 2020-21 Vendée Globe Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ V) 2322hrs UTC last night. Looking at the passage times is a reminder how much closer this race is than anything we have seen before on the Vendée Globe, just 51 minutes between Charal and HOLCIM PRB after 32 days racing for example.

Leader Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) has less than a day left in the Indian Ocean and probably one more gybeto make before the Pacific, his lead over Seb Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) staying quite steady as the second placed skipper still maintains equable speeds even without a functioning starboard foil. 

The group of four, led by Boris Herrmann (Malizia Seaexplorer) have suffered a slow down as they encounter the forecasted high pressure ridge, as Justine Mettraux (TeamWork- Team Snef) explained in her overnight message, 

“We were slowed down for several hours, it was at night so I didn't see much, but we are still in a slightly overcast sky, quite grey now that day has broken. Boris and I took a little break but the wind is coming back from behind so I think it will come back strong, I'm not sure there will be much of a gap after that, and then I had set off again and then I don't know, I fell into a little soft header, so that didn't help me too much! Now I've just caught wind again, so we'll see, but I'm not sure there will be big gaps at the end and I hope I haven't lost too much ground on Boris either!”

I took the opportunity to do a few things, and also check the whole boat to see if there were any special problems. This moment of calm allows you to move around the boat more easily and go to these kinds of places without risking getting hurt or having to the boat down, so I took advantage of doing that! Personally, it's been a few days between the maneuvers and the difficult wind conditions that I haven't taken too much time for myself, I just listened to music and audio books, otherwise I was focused on the race because with the sea state and everything, it wasn't easy... Tomorrow evening I should pass Cape Leeuwin, and after that I have to look better, the weather doesn't seem very set or complicated, because the routings do weird things, so I have to look better, I have to take the time to look at that more, there are areas of strong wind, potentially quite low depressions and so I have to take the time to look at that more.” 

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Equator Crossing Times

Thomas Ruyant (VULNERABLE) 11d 07h 08min 15s Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) 11d 09h 03min 54s Sam Goodchild (VULNERABLE) 11d 09h 45min 39s Nicolas Lunven (HOLCIM - PRB) 11d 10h 58min 24s Yoann Richomme (PAPREC ARKÉA) 11d 11h 12min 50s Jérémie Beyou (Charal) 11d 11h 17min 49s Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil) 11d 11h 25min 50s Yannick Bestaven (Maître CoQ V) 11d 11h 35min 58s Paul Meilhat (Biotherm) 11d 11h 41min 22s Justine Mettraux (Teamwork - Team Snef) 11d 12h 07min 22s Clarisse Crémer (L'Occitane en Provence) 11d 15h 19min 37s Pip Hare (Medallia) 11d 15h 47min 48s Samantha Davies (Initiatives-Cœur) 11d 15h 59min 16s Boris Herrmann (Malizia - Seaexplorer) 11d 17h 42min 42s Romain Attanasio (Fortinet - Best Western) 11d 19h 46min 49s Benjamin Dutreux (GUYOT Environnement - Water Family) 11d 20h 08min 33s Damien Seguin (Groupe APICIL) 12j 00h 27min 49s

Normally, the first Vendée Globe boat to cross the Equator is a big deal, but because these are anything but normal times, a huge chunk of the fleet slipped across in the past day with only a belated press release.

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News Round-Up, 30 October 2024

(The “It’s almost Halloween!” edition.)

SailGP: Veterans join Brazil SailGP Team

Led by double Olympic Gold Medalist Martine Grael, history has been unkind to new entrants that climb the learning curve in mastering the F50 and race format. But unlike the USA that struggled with inexperience last season, Grael will not be flying so nearly blind. 

For starters, she will be joined by her 49erFX Olympic teammate Kahena Kunze who had been the strategist for Germany. Kunze, at 5′8″, will be the reserve athlete and step in where needed. The five other starters are:

- Andy Maloney (NZL), Flight Controller – former New Zealand Flight Controller - Leigh Macmillan (GBR), Wing Trimmer – former France Wing Trimmer and Trimmer for Great Britain in America’s Cup - Richard Mason (DEN/SWE), Strategist – former Denmark Grinder and previously with British and Swiss - Marco Grael (BRA) and Mateus Isaac (BRA), Grinders

Vendée Globe: Meet the Women of the Vendée Globe 2024-25

For 2024-25, the female contingent is led by the British veteran Sam Davies on Initiatives-Coeur 4, who will be starting her fourth Vendée Globe.

There are three skippers on their second race – the Franco-German sailor Isabelle Joschke on MACSF, Britain’s Pip Hare on Medallia, and Clarisse Crémer of France on L’Occitane En Provence.

Two more will be starting the race for the first time in Violette Dorange of France on Devenir, who at 23 is the youngest skipper ever to attempt the Vendée Globe, man or woman, and Justine Mettraux of Switzerland on Teamwork-Team SNEF.

Vendée Globe: The most competitive edition ever?

More sailors than ever will pit themselves against the physical, mental, elemental and technical challenges of sailing alone around the world when a record fleet of 40 IMOCAs starts the Vendée Globe’s 10th running on 10 November. It is the longest race course in sport: from Les Sables d’Olonne in France, and back, around the world non-stop without assistance. Technically they are racing for €200,000 – the 1st place prize money. But in reality they are racing for a place in history.