Eole Awakens for the Island Tour!
At 9:00 am, a briefing took place on the quay. This morning, a steady easterly wind of 10-15 knots greeted the participants, accompanied by glorious sunshine. The conditions were optimal for the round the island regatta, scheduled to start at 10:00 am in front of the harbour. The 12NM course offered various points of sail, beginning with a windward close-hauled start. As the fleet approached Les Mèdes, three AMEL 60 yachts quickly pulled ahead, taking advantage of their superior upwind performance.
Soon, the fleet reached the Petit Sarranier islet. While Loveli had already gybed and set up her Code 0 sail, Infinity unfurled its genoa and its blue gennaker, preparing to deploy the spinnaker pole for optimal sail area. Engane, not far behind, presented a stunning sight with its white hull and sails billowing as it sailed downwind. The course was adorned with colourful light sails, leading towards the western tip of the island, and passing the Jeaune Garde. It was during the final stretch that the positions were reshuffled. Infinity tactically chose a slightly different route than Loveli and ultimately crossed the finish line first after 1 hour and 56 minutes. Loveli arrived three minutes later, followed by Engane at 2:05, Papato (64) at 2:09, and Lemovix (50) at 2:12. Based on the compensated time coefficients, Infinity, Loveli, and Lemovix secured podium positions in this third regatta.
Following the exhilarating race, the crews dispersed for a well-deserved rest at anchor or in the harbour, before gathering for dinner at the heart of Porquerolles village, at the L’Aventure restaurant, for the trophy presentation.
The winners of the AMEL Med Cup 2023 received their awards, recognising their outstanding performances in both the overall and category rankings. After displaying remarkable skills over the two days regattas, the AMEL 60 Infinity emerged as the champion of the second edition of the AMEL Med Cup. The AMEL 50 Lemovix, AMEL 64 Papato, and AMEL 55 Thauride V claimed well-deserved first place finishes. Congratulations to all the crews!
To conclude the evening, participants relished the highlights of this year’s event through a video produced by Sébastien from Skippers magazine. The images from the “Crews in Action” photo contest, organised during the event, were also showcased, and put to vote.
Congratulations to the Engane crew for winning the AMEL Med Cup photo prize, and to the Papato crew for receiving the Coup de Coeur de l’équipe AMEL (The AMEL team’s crush).