Sports catamaran regatta around Martinique
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26/01/2023

Tensions rise over the Martinique Cata Raid


This sixth and penultimate day promises to be decisive. After 6 legs contested in sustained conditions, the bodies are beginning to feel the strain and the riders' faces are a little drawn. Once again, we were expecting commitment on the water and nobody was disappointed. Clear attacks, multiple incidents of damage, a look back at a day which may well prove decisive in the Martinique Cata Raid...

Martinique Cata Raid  2024 : default © Pierrick Contin


In the rankings, the stakes are high on the eve of the final bend and the strategies are already taking shape. Leaders in the provisional general ranking Ad Noordzij and Bastiaan Tentij (HorseRidingSpain), who are determined to hold on to their advantage, have opted to play it safe: "We're going to try and stay in the leading pack, lying in ambush and not taking any risks. As we have good downwind speed, we'll try to find an opening on this tack to attack and try to win."


Matthieu Marfaing and James Melvin (Cirrus - MMSailing) have the opposite tactic: at the foot of the podium this morning, the Franco-American crew is determined to attack: "For us, the strategy today is maximum attack. We procrastinated a bit too much yesterday and made a few mistakes. Today, we're not calculating any more, we're going to try to enjoy ourselves and attack as hard as we can. The pressure is more on the crews up front. We've shown that we have the speed to be out in front and to play with the others, so it's not a bad thing to be free!"


Martinique Cata Raid  2024 : default © Pierrick Contin


As for the weather, the conditions haven't changed: the steady trade winds and the big swell outside Robert's Bay are forcing the race committee to propose a constructed course. On the programme for this Friday, then, are two races of two laps each.


The tone was set from the start of the first race, with the crews clearly changing gear: maximum commitment, jostling and a lot of friction on the line. The battle was fierce on all sides, and the slightest gap was exploited.  A squall brought the fleet together at the rear. With ten boats within a minute of each other, the spectacle in front of the yacht club where the finish was judged was grandiose. Gurvan Bontemps and Fred Moreau (French Caribbean - Stickerman) were just one second ahead of Nicolas Touchot and Pierre-Yves Durand (Rhythm), with the Christopher Green/Jean Boulogne duo in third place.


The second race was just as exciting to follow and just as committed. Dutch riders Ad Noordzij - Bastiaan Tentij (HorseRidingSpain) (8th on the first lap, their worst result since the start of the competition) applied their plan to the letter in this heat, taking advantage of an opportunity to seize the lead and never relinquishing it. Manu and Vincent Boulogne (Cirrus 901) were the second to cross the line, with Matthieu Marfaing and James Melvin (Cirrus - MMSailing) in their wake.


That was the end of the sixth day of competition in the Martinique Cata Raid. The equipment suffered once again. Two main epidemics hit the Martinique Cata Raid today: a first epidemic of broken daggerboards (no fewer than 5 today) followed by a small epidemic of jibs! 


The final results of the day and the provisional overall ranking are awaiting the jury's deliberations.


Martinique Cata Raid  2024 : Grand Prix du Robert © Pierrick Contin


They said:


Nicolas Gillet/ Nicolas Poix (Socoveam - Anmizi)


This morning, we all had a knife between our teeth. In the first race, we did five; a result that was far-fetched. We were doing well, I think we're getting two up there, the downwind conditions are always quite problematic for us, but we're doing better today, we've kept the pace better.


In the second race, we got off to a great start at the end of the line, were first to the windward mark with a bit of a lead and then the spinnaker halyard exploded! We eased off the boat, put the halyard back on and set off again to come back with a full ball. I think we've lost the podium, but we shouldn't be too far off it. We have no regrets, we finished strong.  Behind, but strong! And there are still heats tomorrow!


Gurvan Bontemps / Fred Moreau (French Caribbean - Stickerman)


"The day was windier than expected. We got off to an average start before a nice upwind leg. At the end of the second upwind leg, a big squall came along and messed things up a bit, especially killing the wind for the frontrunners! That was the start of another leg with everyone coming back from behind and some light airs.  At the end of the course, we didn't want to take too many risks with the rocks. Nicolas Touchot and Pierre-Yves Durand were a little more opportunistic but we came back at the last moment to overtake them on the line.
On the second race, the wind came in hard and we got off to an average start, but we were soon in the right pack. However, at the end of the first downwind leg, we broke the spinnaker tack. We put it away and set off again, wondering how we were going to repair it. Immediately after the upwind leg, we slipped along under single mainsail in Hobie 16 mode before getting into the cape. I went down to the water, went to the bow, put in a rope, pulled the tack on the front of the spinnaker pole, locked it with two half keys, came back up a bit asphyxiated after a big back-pedalling session, a bit of apnoea and, to relax, I hoisted the spinnaker! In the manoeuvre, we lost 4 places, we finished 7 but it would have been worse if we hadn't repaired.
Potentially, we know we're in with a chance of winning tomorrow, so we're going to have to sail well and stop breaking things on board. It's a bit like a Bricoflex regatta! I've rarely done so much DIY on the boat. 


Fredo was solid and guided us well in the first run to finish downwind. We were solid because we had a big lead and we didn't suffer when the others came back, we took the initiative again!


Damien Dayot and Thomas Guorgues - La bestiole


We've had wind every day and you have to admit that the boat is a bit physical. But this morning we felt pretty good, the boat was ready and the sailors were calm. We had a good laugh on the first leg, we had fun, with the added bonus of a little caper: Damien went under the boat.


In the second race, we were doing pretty well before a spinnaker bridle broke just before the finish, we were passed by two boats and above all we had to do some DIY this evening, which we would have been happy to do without. What's really satisfying is that we're in the front pack, we're knitting with the good guys and they're going really, really fast!"


Programme for the week:



  • Saturday 20 January: Opening drink

  • Sunday 21 January: Training day

  • Monday 22 January: Constructed course

  • Tuesday 23 January: Long distance (Canceled)

  • Wednesday 24 January: Constructed course

  • Thursday 25 January: Rest day

  • Friday 26 January: Long distance

  • Saturday 27 January: Constructed course and prize-giving ceremony



Rankings to be found on the Martinique Cata Raid website


Follow the race : On the race website (image bank access), social networks (Facebook and Instagram)


Photos On the race website


Videos on the Youtube channel


 



Select another news release

Ad Noordzij and Bastiaan Tentij (HorseRidingSpain)Winners of the 2024 Martinique Cata Raid!
27/01/2024

Open sea at last! For this final day of competition, the weather conditions allowed the race committee to finally offer a course outside the Bay of Robert. This final regatta is vital, as it will determine the winner of the 2024 edition. It also adopts a format more in keeping with the 'Raid' spirit that the competitors are so fond of and which is the trademark of the Martinique Cata Raid.

 
Ad Noordzij et Bastiaan Tentij (HorseRidingSpain)Vainqueurs de l’édition 2024 du Martinique Cata Raid !
27/01/2024

Enfin du large ! Pour cette dernière journée de compétition, les conditions météo ont permis au comité de course de proposer, enfin, un parcours à l’extérieur de la Baie du Robert. Cette ultime régate est capitale puisqu’elle désigne le vainqueur de l’édition 2024. Elle épouse aussi un format plus conforme à l'esprit “Raid” que les concurrents affectionnent tant et qui est la marque de fabrique du Martinique Cata Raid.

 
Tensions rise over the Martinique Cata Raid
26/01/2023

This sixth and penultimate day promises to be decisive. After 6 legs contested in sustained conditions, the bodies are beginning to feel the strain and the riders' faces are a little drawn. Once again, we were expecting commitment on the water and nobody was disappointed. Clear attacks, multiple incidents of damage, a look back at a day which may well prove decisive in the Martinique Cata Raid...

 
Le ton monte sur le Martinique Cata Raid
26/01/2023

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Unprecedented mid-race podiums
25/01/2024

There could well be a few upsets in the general standings this evening after the jury's deliberations! Because today, with the fine weather conditions here in the Bay of Robert, the crews were able to compete in two very intense races, full of twists and turns...

 
Podiums inédits à mi-course
25/01/2024

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Races of the day cancelled on the Martinique Cata Raid
24/01/2023

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Courses du jour annulées sur le Martinique Cata Raid
24/01/2023

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An intense day to say the least on the Martinique Cata Raid
23/01/2024

It seems that circumstances conspired this morning to throw a spanner in the works of the Martinique Cata Raid's well-oiled organisers. As soon as the competitors were on the water, the start procedure was delayed. The cause was the heavy conditions outside the bay, which made anchoring the markers tricky. With the fleet dismasting and returning to the club, the series has only just begun on a day full of pitfalls. A torn mainsail, a blown genoa sheet and a blown spinnaker pole for three of the race's main protagonists... It's clear that Tuesday will have given everyone a hard time!

 
Une journée pour le moins intense sur le Martinique Cata Raid
23/01/2024

A croire que les circonstances s’étaient liguées ce matin pour mettre des bâtons dans les rouages pourtant bien huilés de l’organisation du Martinique Cata Raid. A peine les concurrents sur l’eau, la procédure de départ prend du retard. En cause, les conditions  trop fortes à l'extérieur de la baie qui rendent le mouillage des marques épineux. Démâtage, retour de la flotte au club, la série ne fait que commencer pour cette journée qui va s’avérer semée d’embûches. GV déchirée, écoute de génois et tangon explosés pour trois des principaux animateurs de la course… Décidément, ce mardi aura donné du fil à retordre à tout le monde !

 
Adapting
22/01/2024

Adapting will certainly be the theme of this week's Martinique Cata Raid. The race director had planned to send the competitors on a 'long distance' race, but the weather decided otherwise. This morning in Le Robert, the water was swept by the famous squalls characteristic of the trade winds, gusting to over 35 knots. As a result, the 28 crews finally set off to sail two constructed courses.

 
S’adapter
22/01/2024

S’adapter sera certainement et plus que jamais la thématique de la semaine sur le Martinique Cata Raid. Le directeur de course avait prévu d’envoyer les concurrents sur un “longue distance”, la météo en a décidé autrement. Ce matin, au Robert, le plan d’eau est balayé par ces fameux  grains, caractéristiques des alizés, avec des rafales à plus de 35 nœuds. Les 28 équipages sont donc finalement partis naviguer sur deux parcours construits.

 
Gros changement de programme sur le Martinique Cata Raid
21 Janvier 2024

Cérémonie d’ouverture, présentation des équipages hier, et régate d'entraînement ce dimanche, le Martinique Cata Raid est bel et bien lancé. Cette 9ème édition* marque un tournant dans l’histoire de la course à deux titres. D’un part, c’est la première fois qu’elle rassemble autant de nations différentes. D’autre part, et c’est un fait inédit, le Martinique Cata Raid ne fera pas le tour de l’île aux fleurs en raison des conditions météo musclées annoncées pour la semaine.

 
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13 janvier 2024

Dans 7 jours exactement, 30 équipages s’élanceront pour un tour de la Martinique en catamaran de sport F18 et F16. Et pour cette 10è édition, le programme s’annonce copieux avec trois grosses étapes au large et deux épreuves en format sprint ; le Martinique Cata Raid 2024 sera sans nul doute une compétition de gros bra

 
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24/04/2023

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