The competition passes to coastal format during the weekend in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

The first assault of the Pro Sailing Tour in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has been a demonstration of the potential of the Ocean Five. The Arkema 4 of Quentin Vlamynck last night pulverized the record back to Gran Canaria with a new eight-hour and four-minute mark, and the Leyton of Sam Goodchild was imposed on a flashing 24-hour challenge to place himself as the first leader of this Episode 3 to be held on the island until Sunday.

The premiere of the Pro Sailing Tour in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has left several headlines illustrating the ability to navigate the ocean trimarans Ocean Fifty, the suitability of the island environment for sailing competition and the importance of optimal preparation and concentration to compete in the circuit.

The 24 Hours Challenge launched the fleet on an eight-way tour around Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, 303 nautical miles that presented a complete menu of conditions between the hard wind and the calm areas, between the wave and the plain sea. An ideal environment to test the performance of the Ocean Fifty in all types of scenarios and the ability of their crews to adapt to weather whims.

The conditions on the coast of Gran Canaria smiled to the fleet on its journey of circumnavigation in a timeless sense. The unconfessed objective of equipment and organization on this first section of the tour was to beat the record back to the island set in 2019 by Arkema in 10 hours and 22 minutes, a possibility that was made more viable as the day progressed. At the front of the load, Arkema 4 and Leyton starred in an intense duel that was resolved with a difference of only 50 seconds in the passage through the beacon that marked the end of the circumnavigation to the island. Quentin Vlamynck stopped the crone at 19: 04: 00, setting a new record of eight hours and four minutes in the 88 nautical miles back to Gran Canaria. The French pattern improves its own 10-hour and 22-minute mark set in 2019 on board the previous Arkema, today The Arch.

After leaving Gran Canaria, the ships set a course for the next beacon, located in the Strait of the Bocaina, the sea arm that separates Lanzarote from Fuerteventura. A stretch of wind against which Arkema 4 and Leyton resolved with a tiring match-race. "I don't think we could get more than half a mile apart," Sam Goodchild would explain. The pulse came to an end when both ships reached the north of Fuerteventura to begin the final stretch on the right coast of the island towards the goal in front of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Leyton was overtaking his rival and he was beginning to see him walk away. Vlamynck explained the reason for getting to the ground: "We lost the gennaker yesterday afternoon, and without that candle we are not competitive in the stern course we had at the end of the race."

Leyton was crossing the line of arrival at 07: 28 this morning. The winner thus completed the 303 nautical miles of tour in 20 hours, 28 minutes and 40 seconds, at an average speed of 14.8 knots. Arkema 4 was just before 8: 30.

This result places Sam Childhood's ship as the first leader of the Pro Sailing Tour Episode 3 and consolidates its leadership on the circuit, which it dominates after having imposed on the first two events of the season, held in the French localities of Brest and La Rochelle. The competition continues tomorrow from 10: 30 with the first of the two days of coastal races in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Regata Committee has designed a program of up to five short sleeves: The first will take the fleet around La Isleta to Las Canteras, where two or three tests will be held in front of the beach before a final race in the reverse direction to the initial. A perfect day to enjoy the action of the Ocean Fifty from the ground.