Suspenseful Racing at St. Barth Cata-Cup

St. Barthelemy (November 18, 2017) – On the third day of competition for the forty-seven teams competing in the 10th edition of the St. Barth Cata-Cup for Formula 18s on the island of Saint Barthélemy. light winds were dancing on the water.

Those born in Saint Barth will tell you that wind from the southwest is rather rare on the island. Yet that’s exactly what happened today in the West Indies, with erratic light winds (very instable from five to eight knots).

The race committee was successful in holding two good races: a raid between Toc Vert, Fourchue, and Bœuf; then a smaller loop between Toc Vert and Les Grenadins. In spite of very uncertain conditions, some of the sailors kept up a steady pace, starting with Franck Cammas and Matthieu Vandame (ODP 1).

Placing third and first in the day’s two races the ODP 1 duo had a superb day. They not only won the Prix St Barth Assurances – Allianz, but they also seized the top spot in the overall provisional ratings, by a hair in front of the Greeks Iordanis Pachalidis – Kontantinos Trigkonis (Relwen), who had been in the leader’s seat since the start of the regatta. The lead is so small that the next races will be decisive.

The first race of the day was a long raid of 18 miles. A little two anxious to get racing, Franck Cammas and Matthieu Vandame (ODP 1) were too quick to break the starting line and had to come back and got started at the tail of the fleet. “We can’t say that we got started in the best conditions,” commented the skipper, who managed to progressively get back to finish in third place. “Luckily the course was long,” admits the winner of the 2013 edition of the St. Barth Cata-Cup, who gobbled the maximum of places on the long run between Fourchue and Bœuf, thanks to sustained speed.

Enrique Figueroa (Off Course Management) commented: “By observing those in the lead, we were able to see their errors, and avoid doing the same things.” Figueroa won the race with his old Nacra (2013) with a comfortable advance. “Once again things were shuffled in the middle of the fleet. We saw new faces at the front. That’s a pleasure to see, but that adds a little spice to the next to last day of racing,” adds Figueroa, the winner of the 2012 edition who moved from seventh to fifth place in the general standings today.

Racing continues through November 20, 2017.

Event details – Entry list – Facebook

About the St. Barth Cata Cup
The ST. BARTH CATA CUP is a high-calibre sporting event where catamaran enthusiasts come together under the Caribbean sun. After three editions in 1992, 1993 and 1994, the St. Barth Cata Cup was relaunched in 2008 by Vincent Jordil, Jeff Ledee and Thierry Linares. The St. Barth Cata Cup brings together competitors of various nationalities, from world champions to Saint Barth residents.

Source: Dominique Ladouceur