Prix Eden Rock Villa Rental: An Intense and Masterful Second Day

For this second day of the Cata Cup, and the Prix Eden Rock Villa Rental, the schedule was packed, to say the least, with a fast-paced first race followed immediately by the unmissable Tour Around The Island, a tricky course marked by multiple precarious crossings. As we saw yesterday, the 48 crews competing in the 17th Edition of the St. Barth Cata Cup are simply on fire. And again today, the committee startedthe race under the dreaded black flag, which definitively eliminates any boat that crosses the line prematurely.

Australians In Ggreat Shape As Of TheMorning

They didn't travel more than 17,000 kilometers to string beads, even if they are the jewels of St Barth! Fast, sharp, and formidably consistent, Brett Burvill and Max Puttman (Le Barthélemy Hotel) won the first race, closely followed by their compatriots Gavin Colby and Kai Colman (Super U - U Express Oasis).

Long-distance specialists and winners of the Wharrel 1000, the Australians made perfect use of the course: “Navigating between the rocks, looking for where the wind is going to turn and in which direction it is going to blow, these races really help us adapt to a new place and think very quickly about how to navigate the course,” explains Max Puttman. “When you take the lead, you obviously do everything you can to keep it, but when you're behind someone, the best way to overtake them is to do something different, within reason. In the first race, we had a game plan. We stuck to that plan, and it worked out well!"

After being penalized time-wise yesterday by the breakage of their spinnaker halyard, Tim Mourniac and Pierre-Yves Durand (Segeco - Acomalis) bounced back to finish on the podium in the first race of the day.

A Spectacular Yet Treacherous Tour Around The Island

Without a break, the committee launched the Tour Around The Island, a legendary event combining spectacle and tension, straight into action. Between Washing Machine andLa Pointe in Toiny, the traps of the leeward coast, and sometimes capricious winds, every mistake is paid for dearly.

Early leaders Jean-Christophe Mourniac and Benjamin Amiot (Gypsea Proclim) saw their lead melt away like snow in the sun: “We were in the lead since Grenadin, then we lost our footing a little in a gust,” said Benjamin Amiot. Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren (97TP Services) took advantage of this to pass us and gain almost 200 meters. We managed to catch up and hold on to second place. It was very physical, with irregular winds, spinnakers, slumps, bouncing back... A lot of hard work for the crew! I know Henri from the EFT 26 circuit, he has really improved, and Rasmus is an excellent crew member. Neither of them make many mistakes, so it's quite satisfying to finish just behind them!"

After 1 hour and 33 minutes of racing, the duo of Henri Demesmaeker and Rasmus Rosengren (97TP Services) took the win. Jean-Christophe Mourniac and Benjamin Amiot (Gypsea Proclim) held on to second place ahead of Americans Charles Temeo and Dalton Tebo (Maxwell & Co for man and woman), who completed the podium for this year’s Tour AroundThe island.

Prix Eden Rock Villa Rental 

After todays’ races, it was necessary to get out the calculators and consult the rules to award the Prix Eden Rock Villa Rental, as two teams had accumulated the same exact number of points. “As always, there is a rule,” explains jury president Pascal Grenion. In the event of a tie, first place in the rankings is decided by the best of the races run; the victory of the Demesmaeker/Rosengren duo (97TP Services) in the Tour Around The Island secured them first place in the day's rankings, ahead of two Australian teams: Gavin Golby/Kai Colman (Super U - U Express Oasis) and Brett Burvill/Max Puttman (Le Barthelemy Hotel).

“We definitely had a bit of luck on this Tour, which secured us first place tonight,” said Sweden's Rasmus Rosengren, “but we also sailed very well, especially downwind.” Proof, if any were needed, of the high level of competition in this 17th edition of the St Barth Cata Cup, the top five crews are now separated by just four points! Just wait until tomorrow!!

Schedule: Saturday, November 22 

• 10am- Prix St Barth Assurances Allianz race
• 7:30pm– Awards ceremony Prix St Barth Assurances Allianz
• Dinner at GypSea Beach
• 9:30pm– Free concert open to the public at GypSea with Willy Caïd and his musicians