Final run home

Fiser Farr 40 leads from start to finish on the concluding leg of the Tour de Martinique

The third stage of the Round Martinique, a northern rounding of the island from the Robert to Fort de France, brought the annual regatta to a conclusion today.

The new three-stage format, adopted this year, proved a great success with the competitors, who enjoyed a variety of sailing conditions around all three legs and an exciting conclusion.

The fleet set off from the Pointe de la Savane in Robert, on the eastern side of the French Caribbean island, just after 0900 for the 50+ mile race. Fiser, the Farr 40 in the Racing class, reached the first course mark in the lead, rounding the Caravelle headland under spinnaker in 20 knots of breeze and choppy seas. The wind shifted and on the northern side of the island around Grand’Riviere where the effects of the land come in to play, and the terrain plays havoc with the breeze, many of the competitors, including Contrat de Baie-Maximarine, found themselves becalmed, caught in the wind shadow of the Pelée Mountain at Prêcheur.

The run south to Fort-de-France and the finish line, proved more straightforward. Fiser, skippered by Jean Michel Figuères, led from start to the finish at Pointe de la Vierge, while Phyle, the first multihuill, crossed just a few minutes later concluding their third stage, a southern return to the finish which had been assigned to both the Multihull and Cruising classes.

"We had to really think things through because the wind was really shifty," said Figuères. "We had lots of manoeuvring, which is tiring on the crew, but the sailors were all happy. It took us seven hours to get round half of Martinique, which is not amazing considering you can get round the island in 13 or 14 hours.”

The all female crew on Douvan, dressed up for the start of carnival today in Martinique and skippered by Délice Nouel, sailed an impressive race to finish first in a competitive Surprise Class.

"We are very pleased to have hosted for the second consecutive year this event, which attracts each year more entries. Our format of three days went well and gave time to the competitors to enjoy different parts of the island of Martinique. We hope to attract further boats for future editions and increase to possibly four stage, which seems to be what the sailors would like,” concluded Claude Granel, Event Director of the Round Martinique Regatta.