Valencia to Lisbon Sailboat Race Prelude
Routes des Prince Competitor: Photo courtesy of the race organizers
Inshore races of the Routes des Prince, gave an immediate insight into how close the short, sharp round the buoys course racing will be.
Two days of these inshore races, totaling up to six contests, are scheduled before the fleet leaves Sunday for Leg 1 from Valencia to Lisbon, Portugal.
Honours, little as they may be worth, proved to be pretty even after the Route des Princes fleet took to Valencia’s waters off Malvarossa beach for the first skirmish in perfect conditions, 12-15knots of sea breeze and sunshine.
Media Day presented the opportunity for the Multi50’s and the MOD70’s to take part in two training races with VIP and media guests on board.
It was the newest MOD70, Jean Pierre Dick’s Virbac Paprec, which made the best start until Sébastien Josse’s crew on Edmond de Rothschild took over the lead. But they could not defend against the advances of Oman Air Musandam and it was Sidney Gavignet’s international crew which took the first winning gun with Spindrift in second and Edmond de Rothschild third. In the Multi 50’s it was Erwan Le Roux’s, FenêtréA-Cardinal which won the training race.
There was little change in the conditions for the second race and after Oman Air Musandam lead early on, this time it was Spindrift which triumphed while FenêtréA-Cardinal completed the double.
