How was the final leg from Alghero to Brest?
It was great sport! Conditions were very technical, but interesting, especially in the last third of the leg. We had to deal with a very short swell and a strong wind. We had very little angle to pass the waves, which gave us the impression of falling into the troughs.
What's next for the Koesio crew?
We'll be doing the Trophée des Multicoques de la Baie de Saint-Brieuc, then the Fastnet, in July. The boat will go into refit in August, before being relaunched for the Transat Jacques Vabre. We'll need to be ready for the start in Le Havre, as there will be some serious competitors in front of us. There should be around ten Ocean Fifty on the starting line.
What changes are you going to make to Koesio?
Overall, we'll be checking all the onboard systems and carrying out a general inspection, but we won't be making any major modifications.
You co-chair the class with Thibaut Vauchel Camus. How would you sum up the Pro Sailing Tour and what are the future developments for the Ocean Fifty class?
We know that the formula developed around the Ocean Fifty is the right one. We want to look to the long term, so that we can approach the future of the class with confidence. We're going to keep the mix of inshore and offshore racing, because it's a format that works very well. Likewise, most of the teams are based in Brittany or on the Atlantic coast, but we'll continue to come to the Mediterranean. And the arrival of Christopher Pratt on Wind of Trust, who will be our first representative in the Med, demonstrates the attractiveness of the class.
What does the future hold for the class?
The newcomers, Pierre Quiroga, Luke Berry and Christopher Pratt, have taken very little time to adapt to the circuit, and have even pulled off some fine coups. The small gaps at the finish demonstrate the homogeneity of the fleet. We were 5 participants this year, due to a class mercato, but we're well on the way to being around ten for the 2024 edition. Two boats are currently under construction, and two others are available for sale.
Will the measurement rules for the Oceans Fifty change?
Overall, the boats have demonstrated their reliability. With the exception of Wind Of Trust, which was very late in its preparation, all the boats have been classified. Even Viabilis Océans managed to finish on time, despite its technical stopover in La Coruña.
Among the Ocean Fifty boats, we have measurement rules that allow the oldest multis to be competitive. We have to adopt a diminishing trend. We need to maintain a certain level of equality between the boats, so that we can continue to put on a good show, without getting into an arms race.
