After two months of high-intensity competition that has taken seven talented Ocean Fifty trimaran skippers from the Mediterranean to France’s Atlantic coast, and then on to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, the outcome of the 2022 Pro Sailing Tour will be decided in what is dubbed the ‘Final Rush’.
With the recent race to Cowes – in which defending Pro Sailing Tour champion Sam Goodchild (GBR) on Leyton took line honours – concluding Episode 3, all now depends on the outcome of Episode 4’s Final Rush to Roscoff.
Heading into the decider it could hardly be closer with Quentin Vlamynck (FRA) on Arkema – winner of Episode 3 – holding a single point lead over Goodchild, while Erwan Le Roux (FRA) on Koesio remains within striking distance.
Meanwhile Eric Peron (FRA) on Komilfo, Thibaut Vauchel-Camus (FRA) on Solidaires En Peloton-ARSEP, and Gilles Lamiré (FRA) on Groupe GCA-1001 Sourires, are all determined to sign off the season in style.
In Cowes before the 19:00 restart today, Wednesday, there was a celebratory Episode 3 prize-giving and Episode briefing held at the host club, the Royal London Yacht Club.
The concluding contest will take the fleet of ultra-high-performance foiling multihulls on a challenging 950 nm course from Cowes along the south coast of England, past the Isles of Scilly and across the Celtic Sea to the famed Fastnet Rock, then further up the coast of Ireland and round Great Skelling and the evocatively named Washerwoman Rock.
Then it’s past a virtual waypoint some 70km west of Brittany, followed by a mark off Lorient, and back up around Brittany’s rugged coastline to the finish in Roscoff.
Sebastien Rogues (FRA) and the crew on Primonial will not be racing the Final Rush following damage to the daggerboard yesterday a few miles before the finish line.
Pro Sailing Tour – Current standings:
1st Arkema – 22 points
2nd Leyton – 21 points
3rd Koesio – 17 points
4th Primonial – 14 points
5th Komilfo – 13 points
6th Solidaires En Peloton-ARSEP – 12 points
7th Groupe GCA-1001 Sourires – 6 points
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