At 3:30 p.m. this afternoon, the 14 IMOCA boats taking part to the 48 Hours Azimut will set off on a 560-mile course announced last night by Race Control. It is a large triangular route that will take them first towards the Gironde and then off Penmarc’h. The leading boats are expected back in Lorient on Saturday morning.

After yesterday’s perfect sailing conditions—with the speed runs delighting both sailors and spectators—it is time to head offshore! Act 2 of the Défi Azimut - Lorient Agglomeration is being contested solo this year—due to the upcoming Route du Rhum—giving the 14 participating sailors a chance to hone their skills and benchmark their performance across all points of sail.

After rounding the island of Groix in the early afternoon, they will head for the BXA buoy off the Gironde estuary—150 miles away—for a blistering first leg, where a small front will bring winds of up to 20 knots on a beam reach and then downwind. This will establish an initial pecking order at a point of sail where the top foilers will really be in their element. They could round the BXA mark as early as 11:00 PM!

The long leg to the northwest—heading for the "Azimut" waypoint, located 110 miles west of Penmarc’h—will be a completely different story. Competitors will have to beat upwind against the swell left behind by the passing front, all while the wind is easing. "Contestants will have a choice: play the curvature of the weather system by heading south, or maintain pressure by tacking along a more direct route—it’s going to be fascinating," predicts Yann Château, who shares race direction duties with Francis Le Goff.

After this 260-mile leg, there will still be 110 miles to cover to reach Lorient, and this final stretch is far more uncertain due to a ridge of high pressure pushing across the Atlantic. Every mile gained during the first two sections will be crucial to avoid being overtaken by the weather front and to reach Lorient on Saturday...