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Petit Bateau 2004

Michel Kleinjans Roaring Forty Wins the ANA Cup 1st Overall PB2004

Olivier Desport “Calisson” (JOD 35) wins class 2

mercredi 4 août 2004Redaction SSS [Source RP]

The inaugural PB2004 singlehanded race, starting from Mylor YC Falmouth on the 17th of July, was won by Michel Kleinjans Open 40 “Roaring Forty” fresh from breaking the singlehanded Round Britain and Ireland record Record #sailingrecord , Michel won 2 of the 3 legs. Beating Ronny Nollett‘s Open 40 “La Promesse” into second place, Ronny won the final leg into Camaret. The course from Falmouth to Kinsale Ireland, Kinsale to Gijon Spain and finally Gijon to Camaert France a total distance of 1000 miles was a great success. With close racing and very hospitable stopover ports, all a perfect recipe for an action packed 2 weeks.

Michel Kleinjans’ Open 40 wns the race

Class 2 boats up to 35’ was won by Olivier Desport “Calisson” series class winner in the 2001 Mini Transat race, he won all three legs in his JOD 35. Second place was not so easy with a tough battle between Pierre-Yves Chatelin in his Figaro 1 “Destination Calais” Mary Falk’s beautifully prepared Open 35 “QII” and Paul Peggs modified JOD35 “Audacious” fought to the end and was finally decided in the last miles in favour of “Audacious”.

Leg One Falmouth - Kinsale

The race started in 20 knot SW this was the strongest wind seen during the entire race. The 2 Open 40’s “Roaring Forty” and “La Promesse” soon pulled out ahead of the fleet, followed by Leon Bart on his 35’ trimaran “Hound Van Hout” But within half hour the wind died away to a light variable breeze leaving the fleet to struggle to clear the Lizard. Later the wind veered to NW increasing to force 3 as the fleet reached Lands End. Now with a beat to Kinsale the tactical decision was to either tack on the shifts or hold on to port tack and wait for the forecasted light winds to back. During the first night there was no time for snatching any sleep as the Irish Sea was busier than the M25, a vast number of boats returning from Cork week were sailing in the opposite direction. Neither tactical decision seemed to have a major benefit and “Roaring Forty” was the first to cross the line in a time of 31hrs 27mins followed 2hrs later by “La Promesse” 3rd in class 1 was Nico Budel sailing “Hayai” a Benateau 40.7 from Holland. First to finish in class 2 “Calisson” in a time of 34hrs 56mins followed 40 mins latter in a very close finish was “Audacious” only a few boat lengths ahead of “Destination Calais” from France. Kinsale YC made all the competitors very welcome and a great 2 day stopover was had by all. Fleet also said good bye to Stuart MacDonald in “Red Alert” 00D 34 who made the trip down from the Clyde to do the first leg only due to work commitments.

Leg 2 Kinsale - Gijon

The fleet set off on the 2nd leg to Gijon in 15 knots from the SW. Some boats “Calisson” “Destination Calais” and “Alices Mirror” a stretched Open 30’ with many Atlantic crossings to her name and sailed by Jerry Freeman all sailed high on starboard tack keeping to the rum line, while others the 2 Open 40’s and Audacious footed more towards the French coast in a hope of getting more breeze and a better angle but on the second day the wind shut off and everyone was left with sails flogging in a big swell. On the 3rd day the breeze filled in from the east and spinnakers and reachers where hoisted and a good day and night of fast reaching was enjoyed. The first boat to finish was again “Roaring Forty” in a time of 79hrs 51mins followed again 2hrs latter by “La Promesse” First class 2 winner “Calisson” spent 4hours a short distance from the finish line with no wind, finally finished in 97hrs 50mins. Again 2hrs 25mins later there was a nail biting finish for 2nd and 3rd in class 2 with “QII” beating “Audacious” to the line by 200m after swapping places many times over the past couple of days.

Hot and sunny Gijon was also a great stopover. With a Mayors reception and some great trophies donated by the town they could not have been more hospitable. Also we had one more entry joining the race Belgium sailmaker Ian Wittevrongel had sailed none stop from Boulogne France in his J92 Jaraella to make the final leg.

Leg 3 Gijon - Camaret

Leg 3 start was postponed for 1hr waiting for the breeze to fill in and with only light winds forecast it looked like the passage to Camaret was going to be a slow one. Once clear of the bay and with what little sea breeze there was now died away. It was slow progress for first night. But by the morning of the second day 10-14konts of breeze filled in from the west giving the fleet a pleasant spinnaker reach for most of the day. With open 40’s ahead “QII” managed to build a small lead in class 2 followed by “Destination Calais” who had broken his tiller and could only steer with his autopilot and “Jaraella” was lying 3rd. During the night the wind suddenly shifted to the North and gradually dropped in strength thoughout day three. But the 2 open 40’s managed to get to the finish line before the wind dropped completely, this time it was ”La Promesse” who crossed the line first in a time of 52 hrs 4mins followed an hour latter by “Roaring Forty”.

Class 2 had to struggle on through the night in light winds and adverse tides before again “Calissson” manage to get across the line in 65hrs 39mins.

Two hours latter “Destination Calais” came in to take 2nd place. “QII” and “Audacious” where fighting it out again, this time for 3rd place on the leg and 2nd overall “Audacious” got its revenge from the previous stage and managed finish just ahead of “QII”.

Prize giving and party time was at the Hotel Vauban in Camaret, with pictures and signed posters of sailing superstars such as Eric Taberly, Peter Blake and may more adorning the walls it was a fitting place to end the first Petit Bateau singlehanded race.

The PB2004 was a great success, with many competitors calling a PB2005 race !!

Final Results

Class I 35ft+
- 1st Roaring Forty Michel Klienjans Open 40 Belgium
- 2nd La Promesse Ronny Nollet Open 40 Belgium
- 3rd Hayai Nico Budel Benateau 40.7 Holland

Class 2 30-35ft
- 1st Calisson Olivier Desport JOD 35 France
- 2nd Audacious Paul Peggs JOD 35 UK
- 3rd Destination Calais Pierre-Yves Chatelin Figaro 1 France

IRC
- 1st Destination Calais

Info Paul Peggs


Voir en ligne : More details can be found at www.petitbateau.org.uk



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