Last night, a dozen competitors of the Class40, including some tenors, had imagined a neutralization of the course for their category, in a port of the tip of Brittany. This, to avoid the fleet to go to the mouth of the wolf of the very big depression expected Tuesday. As they were not numerous enough, the Class40 did not wish to make the request to the race director. Everyone will race as he sees fit.
No neutralization of the race. At this time, 3 hours from the start, the Class40 has not made the official request to the race management to neutralize the event, for their category in a port of the tip of Brittany.
The scary weather forecast for Tuesday in the Bay of Biscay with winds over 40 knots and troughs of 6 to 8 m, led a dozen skippers from the Class 40 to imagine Saturday night, a neutralization Monday night with a new start given once the gust of wind passed.
Halvard Mabire, president of class 40 had told us that he would make the move only if "a large majority" expressed in this direction.
This was not the case, and many other skippers had, on the contrary, asked for the race to proceed as planned, with everyone being able to take responsibility for sheltering or not in a port.
The neutralization would have in any case posed a heavy logistical problem to the race management. Finding a port capable of accommodating 53 boats, and a jury available to give a start, would not have been easy.
THE CLASS 40 WISH TO NEUTRALIZE THE RACE