Two races left

Tiredness creeps in on the Generali Solo for Davies.

It has been two testing days for Davies on board Skandia with yet more variable conditions, light winds on Wednesday complimented by gusts in excess of 35 knots today, Thursday.

Light wind racing on Wednesday saw Davies finish a frustrating 21st with today's racing bringing her back up the fleet of 33 to 17th. Overall, Davies maintains a very competitive 12th in the event's ranking.

Sam comments on her racing on Wednesday: "The race was really one of luck due to the conditions. The event was around the Porquerolles island. These was no wind at the first corner, the boats piled up and just sat there. It was basically a lucky break for those who got round first, from then it was a procession to the finish. Although I managed to pass several competitors, the lottery at the first corner saw some of my close competitors in the overall ranking gain some valuable points, although I sailed a sensible race overall it was a very frustrating day."

Thursday's racing was altered due to the conditions. "As it was windy the race committee decided to give us a long coastal race rather than two windward/leewards" said Davies. "The 26-mile race to Toulon and back was started in about 23 knots of wind and by the time we reached the turning mark at Toulon it was up to 30knots, gusting 35. The first leg was upwind with short tacking the whole way."

"I definitely need to practice my tacking in lots of wind. I don't have the bodyweight, then it is all down to technique. When I am sailing in a straight line I am fast, in some cases much faster than the competition, but my short tacking lets me down on speed."

"I thought I had made a hideous mistake on the spinnaker reach on the second leg, as I put up my small spinnaker and most the rest of the fleet used the large. But when we got to the last run into the finish we had to gybe and, as the wind had picked up quite considerably, I was pleased as most of the boats around me wiped out and I did an almost perfect gybe and overtook everyone that had overtaken me on the way down - if I had had my large spinnaker up, it could well have been a different story."

"The tiredness after some 12 days of continuous, highly competitive racing is really beginning to kick in. Just before and at the start of a race it is really difficult to get my body to do what I want as it is cold and tired. However, even though my hands are now really sore as soon as we are out near the start line I try to be the first to get the sails up and working the boat fully, even if I'm tired I've no intention of it showing on the course - before or during the race. During the race it is much easier as you get into a rhythm. More generally, the pace of racing has meant that it is difficult to eat and, when you finish racing, you are too tired to even think about it. So all in all it makes you more vulnerable."

Two windward/leeward races are scheduled for tomorrow (Friday) and the forecast is for between 15-25 knots of wind, with similar conditions on Saturday, the final day of the event.

Overall top 10 Ranking, Thursday 24th June (After 10 races)
Position, Boat, Skipper
1 GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES - ELIES Yann 59
2 CERCLE VERT - MORVAN Gildas 76
3 BOOZY AND THE KIKOUYOUS - DE PAVANT Kito 83
4 DELTA DORE - BEYOU Jéremie 83
5 MALONGO - DROUGLAZET Eric 84
6 BOSTIK FINDLEY - CAUDRELIER-BENAC Charles 91
7 THALES - TABARLY Erwan 101
8 CLIPTOL SPORT - PELLECUER Laurent 126
9 L’ESPRIT D’EQUIPE - PEAN Lionel 134
10 ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE - KRAUSS Oliver 154
12 SKANDIA DAVIES Samantha 183

Top 5 Ranking - Toulon inshore (Thurs 24th June)
Position, Boat, Skipper
1 GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES - ELIES Yann
2 DELTA DORE - BEYOU Jéremie
3 BOSTIK FINDLEY - CAUDRELIER-BENAC Charles
4 CERCLE VERT - MORVAN Gildas
5 GROUPE SCE - TROUSSEL Nicolas
17 SKANDIA - DAVIES Samantha

Top 5 Ranking - Round of Porquerolles island (Wed 23rd June)
Position, Boat, Skipper
1 GROUPE GENERALI ASSURANCES ELIES Yann
2 DEFI SANTE VOILE PETIT Benoît
3 ATAO AUDIO SYSTEM VITTET Dominic
4 BOOZY AND THE KIKOUYOUS DE PAVANT Kito
5 ESPOIR CREDIT AGRICOLE KRAUSS Oliver
21 SKANDIA DAVIES Samanatha

Remaining race schedule:
Friday, 25th June Porquerolles – Inshore racing
Saturday, 26th June Porquerolles – Inshore racing, close of regatta