Transat Paprec Day 4 - Elastic? Not so automatic!
by Transat Paprec 23 Apr 18:16 BST
23 April 2025
For the first time since the start of the race, gaps are beginning to form. Off the Portuguese coast, part of the fleet—led by DMG MORI Academy (Laure Galley and Kévin Bloch) and Maël Garnier - Catherine Hunt (Selencia - Cerfrance)—has found a stronger wind corridor and is breaking away at the front.
Others, including Jules Ducelier and Sophie Faguet (Région Normandie), Adrien Simon and Chloé Le Bars (FAUN), and Victor Le Pape and Estelle Greck (Région Bretagne - CMB Espoir), have been slightly left behind. In short, "the elastic is stretching," and the regatta is heating up.
Key takeaways
- All teams passed Cape Finisterre last night within less than three hours.
- The fleet, previously split into two groups (East and West), regrouped as they approached the Portuguese coast.
- After crossing a zone of light, unstable winds, all crews tried to catch the incoming northerly flow.
- The first to do so accelerated: Laure Galley - Kévin Bloch (DMG MORI Academy, in 1st place) and Maël Garnier - Catherine Hunt (Selencia - Cerfrance) were the fastest.
- A leading pack of eight skippers has formed, pulling slightly ahead of their pursuers by around ten nautical miles.
The first finishers of this OC Sport Pen Duick-organized race are expected to arrive in Saint Barthélemy around May 7.
Race update
There's real excitement among the fleet—and it's not just because of the stunning sunrise some sailors captured this morning, but due to the intense racing under way. Martin Le Pape described it like a sports commentator: " We're off downwind, maybe all the way to Saint Barthélemy. The spinnaker is up, and we're in the right group ! " Adrien Simon (FAUN), more calmly, added: " It's time for long surfs all the way to Saint Barthélemy ! "
Skippers are now gradually entering the Portuguese trade winds, after waiting in a patch of fickle breezes. After regrouping last night at the DST and Cape Finisterre, it turned into a race against the clock to catch the wind. The stakes were high—those who found it first could gain precious miles on their rivals. And that's exactly what's happening now. "The elastic is stretching," explained Yann Château from Race Management. "A group found a better wind corridor, moving away from the ridge without getting too close to land." A low-pressure system over Spain is generating a stronger northerly flow, benefiting the frontrunners.
First real gaps appear
Well-positioned since the start, Laure Galley and Kévin Bloch (DMG MORI Academy) were the first to benefit. As of 5:00 p.m., they were sailing at 12.3 knots, Romain Bouillard and Irina Gravecha (Décrochons la lune) at 12.5 knots, and Martin Le Pape and Mathilde Géron (DEMAIN) at 12.6 knots. These speeds are allowing them to steadily pull away from a second group averaging closer to ten knots. That second group includes Jules Ducelier and Sophie Faguet (Région Normandie), Adrien Simon and Chloé Le Bars (FAUN), and Victor Le Pape and Estelle Greck (Région Bretagne - CMB Espoir).
So, for the first time since the start, a true gap is forming.
Will this separation last? Yann Château remains cautious: " With the strengthening of the thermal depression, the gap will narrow slightly in the coming hours, but the front pack will keep moving forward. Overnight, the wind will ease a little, but those further south will still have a bit more breeze." And he concluded: " Chances are, the elastic will keep stretching."
Jacques Caraës' perspective
He was the very first to win the Transat Paprec—33 years ago in 1992, alongside Michel Desjoyeaux. A renowned sailor and race director of major events, Jacques Caraës speaks of the Transat Paprec with wonder and enthusiasm:
"I'm still passionate about this race. I have wonderful memories of the first edition, and I'm really enjoying following the Transat Paprec again. I think the mixed-gender format fits the race's DNA perfectly. The strength of one-design racing—especially double-handed—is this constant close-quarters battle.
What's really exciting is seeing this new generation coming through. Back in the day, I knew all of them—now, not so much—but it's great to watch! I follow them with great admiration.
The key to performing well is tenacity and grit. This race is like hand-to-hand combat—you can't let up until the very end. When we won with Michel Desjoyeaux, we only pulled away from our rivals (Frédéric Leclere and Loïc Blanken) in the final hours. That's what makes this race so extraordinary: you have to fight to the finish !"
Little updates from onboard
Everyone had been waiting for the moment they could hoist their spinnakers again—and when it came, they made the most of it. Corentin Horeau (Région Bretagne - CMB Océane) filmed it, and Quentin Vlamynck (Les Étoiles Filantes) even launched a drone to capture the moment. " Spinnaker up and we're flat out ! " said Martin Le Pape. He caught the sunrise on video, as did Hugo Cardon (Humains en action) and Adrien Simon (FAUN), while Tiphaine Rideau (Banques Alimentaires) filmed the moonrise.
A bit later, Tiphaine and Pier-Paolo resumed repairs on their torn jib from the first night—a section had partially come unglued. On the food front, Maël Garnier and Catherine Hunt (Selencia - Cerfrance) savored a " little piece of Comté cheese " while filming nearby competitors.The match remains tight, and the skippers' words reflect it. Thomas de Dinechin (Almond for Pure Ocean) summed it up perfectly: " I've already lost track of how many days we've been racing !"
Follow the sailors on the race tracker!
Find out more at www.transatpaprec.com