Corentin Douguet wins Mini Pavois

A detailed report of the final stages by Pierrick Garenne

This 2005 edition of the Mini Pavois 2005, which saw the victory of Corentin Douguet on E.Leclerc, was overall a great success. The yachtsman from Nantes crossed the finishing line on the evening of Tuesday 17th May at 19h 38’ 55’’ (local time) after 79 hours and 30 minutes, or in other words 3 days, 07 hours and 30 minutes, racing.

Corentin will thus have covered the 460 miles of the course at an average speed of 5.82 knots. A fine performance, especially if you are consider the calm and changeable conditions he encountered during this complicated course with some marks close together and others far apart. Tanguy de Lamotte ( Set Environnement pour Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque) came in second crossing the finishing line exactly 42 minutes and 10 seconds behind Corentin, at 20h 20’ 45’’.

Etienne Bertrand ( Air du Large) was a good third in this Mini Pavois. He finished at 22h 26’ 10’’ followed several minutes later by Didier Le Vourc’h ( Servo Map), and the Slovenian Andraz Mihelin ( Adria Mobil – 510) was fifth confirming the great talent that had been promised. The first english skippers are 6 and 7 : Phil Sharp ( Le Gallais - 419) at 00h11 and Nick Bubb ( Wittlebury Hall - 500) at 00h18 the wednesday 18th May 2005. Andrew Wood ( Solochallenges.com - 202) is 24th and arrived at 11h40.

It should be pointed out that the rest of the field came in at least two hours behind the two leaders of this Mini Pavois. This duo stuck together throughout the race, which required the boats to round the Karek Greis buoy off Lesconil. While the leading group remained relatively bunched up until Birvideaux (seven of them passed within an hour), it was the ease of sailing, the power, the forward planning and the control of the 6.50 Minis, which was to make the difference over the remaining 123 miles.

15/20 knot north westerlies accompanied the leaders on their way down, allowing them to hoist the spinnakers and flirt with 12/15 knots of speed and surf for many hours. It can be pointed out for example that Corentin covered the final 124 miles at an average speed of almost 8.5 knots. A fine performance! His Manuard design from 2003 was well suited to the breeze and revealed her full potential. Moreover, Corentin managed the situation well, taking in a reef and changing his masthead spinnaker for a fractional one at the right moment, while Tanguy continued under full spinnaker, which he later acknowledged was a mistake. It should be added that Tanguy’s pilot fitting broke during the journey down, thus handicapping him during sail changes.

However, in everyone’s opinion, this course proved to be very complete, allowing the sailors to test their boats in various wind conditions. Sailing close to each other allowed them to compare the potential of their craft and to judge each person’s adjustments. They were given an opportunity to try various options and take risks, such as cutting through the Glénans. While learning how to deal with rest periods, they also enjoyed themselves a lot. In fact, Corentin summed it up quite neatly when he said, "This type of course really teaches you a thing or two."

Bruno Sottovia ( Aprotec-Morzine - 468) finished at 6h33 on Wednesay 18th May, coming in first in the series boats. His Pogo 2 was more than two hours ahead of the second series boat to complete this Mini Pavois, which was Bruno Croisel’s Pulco. In fact, four series boats came in one after the other grabbing 17th to 20th place. There were still two boats at sea at nine this morning. Julio Esteves ( Itaparica – 365) should finish 36 hours after the first prototype arrivals, or in other words before 7h38 tomorrow morning, while Philippe Bouillard ( Mondial Assistance) has until 18h33 tomorrow to complete the race in his series boat. It should be added that altogether, only eight boats out of the 39, which started out, were forced to retire from this Mini Pavois.

Arrival times for this Mini Pavois 2005 :
1. Corentin Douguet (E. Leclerc - 433) at 19h38.55
2. Tanguy de Lamotte (Set Environnement pour Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque - 424) at 20h20.45
3. Etienne Bertrand (Air du Large - 434) at 22h26.10
4. Didier Le Vourc’h (Servo Map – 151) at 22h29.30
5. Andraz Mihelin (Adria Mobil - 510) at 23h21
6. Phil Sharp (Le Gallais - 419) at 00h11
7. Nick Bubb ( Wittlebury Hall - 500) at 00h18
8. Nicolas Bunoust (Loire Atlantique - 231) at 00h31
9. Kristian Hajnsek (Adria Mobil - 509) at 00h38
10. David Lancry (Areas Assurances - 454) at 01h12
11. Isabelle Joschke (Parole - 276) at 01h14
12. Sébastien Gladu (Birvidik - 427) at 02h22
13. Adam Currier (Sabita - 176) at 02h36
14. Stanislas Maslard (Crédit Agricole Skipper Challenge - 417) at 03h38
15. Cian Mac Carthy (The Tom Crean - 393) at 03h52
16. Erwann Sudrie (Gwenn Ha Du - 93) at 06h03
17. Bruno Sottovia (Aprotec-Morzine - 468) at 06h33 / 1st series boat
18. Bruno Croisel (Pulco - 488) at 09h08
19. Ronan Deshayes (PCO Technologies - 368) at 09h28
20. Eric Bourrié (Taquet Max - 340) at 09h40
21. Lucas Montagne (Adoc Solutions - 339) at 09h44
22. Bertrand Dubucq (Airlinair - 527) at 09h49
23. Marine Chombard de Lauwe (DCF - 481) at 11h39
24. Andrew Wood (Solochallenges.com - 202) at 11h40
25. Quentin Monegier ( Mariole - 219) at 11h52
26. David Le Carrou (Le Tréport-Tirard & Burgaud - 498) at 11h57
27. Patrice Fisseux (Bellot Mullenbach & Associés) at 12h01
28. Xavier Bluy (Smets - 78) at 12h04
29. Frédéric Roux (Pepito - 80) at 17h27
Still at sea at 9 this morning (Thursday 19th May 2005) :
Philippe Bouillard (Mondial Assistance - 475)
Julio Esteves (Itaparica - 365)

Retired: Stephen Simpson (Blue One - 241) ; Yann Chevalier (Imagine - 12) ; Erwan Abalain (www.dijs.com - 422) ; Aloys Claquin (Vecteur Plus - 265) ; Barnabé Chivot (FTH Thirard/Metostock - 335) ; Christophe Bérard (Chet - 441) ; Sébastien Mesure (Cutisol/Marins sans frontières – 483) ; Erwan Lohézic (Casoar – 291)