The skipper of the Psaros 40 Cellmen Ardentis took victory in 12h48’54”, 15 seconds ahead of the Psaros 33 Pro Yachting, skippered by Philippe Seguret. The fiftieth edition of the legendary solo race was contested in difficult conditions. It was marked by a heavy smoky spell in the early afternoon, followed by hard, very wet conditions overnight.
The fiftieth edition of the Syz Translémanique en Solitaire was contested in highly variable conditions, with violent showers, splendid sunshine, blows of tobacco and zones of calm.
The overall winner after 12:48:54 of racing, François Thorens from the canton of Vaud, was fifteen seconds ahead of his direct pursuer, the Franco-Swiss Philippe Seguret, skipper of Pro Yachting. Sailing in close contact from Thonon, the two skippers engaged in a fratricidal duel right up to the finish line.
The regatta was marked by a violent storm at the end of the morning. Alexander De Weck, skipper of the Luthi 1090 Katana, who dominated the first half of the race, suffered a sudden lurch off Meillerie. His spinnaker fell into the water during the lowering, followed by his genoa. Then the skipper fell overboard, but fortunately quickly climbed back up under his own power; a mishap that cost him half an hour, a lot of energy and the lead of the race.
Other sailors have had a tough time of it, including Arnaud Gavairon, victim of the dismasting of his Psaros 33 Pétrel, or Guillaume Rigot, skipper of MSC, whose spinnaker was wrapped around the forestay.
“It was really hot,” exclaimed the winner at the end of the race. “I managed to get through the gale without any damage, and I’m sorry for the two youngsters ahead of me, but that’s racing! The comeback was also very intense against Pro Yachting. I stayed very focused right up to the last second, and it was a close call, but it didn’t take much.”
“The finale was very intense,” said Philippe Seguret. “I hadn’t had a spinnaker since Thonon, because when I lowered it, the sheet went into the water and a motorboat got caught in it and cut it off. In the end, it was a matter of seconds. I’m 50 years old, this is the 50th edition and I would have liked to have won, but I’m already very happy with this result.”
Guillaume Rigot puts in a very fine performance, finishing third aboard MSC in his first regatta aboard a Psaros 33.
Finishing seventh, 26 minutes after the winner and first woman in the rankings, race ambassador Justine Mettraux appreciated the quality of the regatta, while acknowledging that “it wasn’t all fun and games! The conditions were really very irregular, and hard to predict. And it was very wet. But I’m very happy to have sailed on Lake Geneva again, and I think it’s great to see the enthusiasm for this regatta, with 150 entries.”
The leading group’s pursuers are rapidly approaching the finish line, and the bulk of the boats should finish the regatta before daybreak. The winner of the 50th edition of the Syz Translémanique en Solitaire, which is run on corrected time, will be announced on Sunday.