The 2015 ArMen Race from La Trinite sur Mer started a day late this year due to a storm in Brittany on Thursday 14th May for which a Figaro sailor Yoann Richomme who went training from Port La Foret reported a steady 31 knots with gusts up to 47 knots
The Omanis found the ArMen Race this year to be a walk in the park after achieving boatspeeds over 30 knots at the Grand Prix Guyader earlier this month and experiencing winds of up to 38 knots on their subsequent Round Ireland Record and described the ArMen Race as just like a training session
The two IMOCAs had a good battle with Paul Meilhat racing SMA (the former MACIF of Francois Gabart) with Michel Desjoyeaux on board finally getting the better of Tanguy de Lamotte in Initiatives Coeur despite tricky current and wave conditions
In the Multi50s the close contest between FenetreA Prysmian with Giancarlo Pedote joining Erwan Le Roux and crew in practice for the Transat Jacques Vabre later this year and Arkema of Lalou Roucayrol was decided in favour of the former and much discussion of tactics still ongoing between the two teams after the prizegiving
In the Mini class Arkema was victorious with Quentin Vlamnyck while Solidaires en Peloton took the Class 40s with her skipper commenting that there had been slightly less competition in that class than with the eight boats at Grand Prix Guyader earlier in the month
Amidst the other classes a much appreciated competitor was one of the Eric Tabarly boats Pen Duick III
Race officer Yves Le Blevec (who is one of those with funding for a future large multi for planetary
records) is to be congratulated on combining with his team to provide excellent racing for all in this fifth edition of the race at the end of a hectic session for him as he was also race officer for the Mini en Mai the previous week which racing also had to be modified due to storms in the Bay of Biscay
