News from Sam

As I write this blog I am watching the live tracking for the finish of the Transat AG2R in St Barts. Romain and Anthony on Bretagne Credit Mutuel Performance are fighting for fourth place…. Fingers crossed that they manage to stay in front of Gedimat….

I have been resting this weekend, recovering from a hectic week of sailing, with two days of (very productive) training with my coach Tanguy Leglatin, and two other days of sailing with guests on board Saveol. Fridays sailing day was based in Belle Ile and Saveol is temporarily based in La Trinite. The Saveol Team had a fun logistical challenge getting all of us there – as I had a dinner and presentation in Belle Ile, we had to get the boat and the Highfield (rib) to La Trinite, plus 2 Volvos…… Which would have been a breeze…. Except we had our share of punctures (one sharp stone on Thursday and one screw stuck in the tyre on Friday – same car and same wheel – how unlucky is that ?!!!!)
Anyway, we made it there (and back – thanks to the Cremaddes family (Musto France) who rescued us on Friday night !)

This week we will take part in the Armen Race, 330 miles around the famous lighthouse offshore of Ile de Sein and Ile de Yeu (just opposite St Gilles Croix de Vie !) which starts and finishes in La Trinite. The start is on Thursday, and we should finish on Saturday. It is a crewed race, and I will be sailing with MY TEAM : Erwan, Corentin and Isa plus Nico Lunven, the skipper of the Figaro Generali (a previous winner of La Solitaire du Figaro !) The objective is for me to continue to learn my boat, the settings, sail choices and manouvers. Nico is going to be a great help for me to learn quickly during this race, with the goal being the Vendee Globe of course!

So, rendez-vous in La Trinite on Wednesday for the briefing !

Sam