Please select your home edition
Edition
Palm Beach Motor Yachts

Amaury Dumortier and Geoffrey Thiriez take line honours Cap-Martinique

by Cap Martinique 5 May 2024 08:43 UTC 4 May 2024
Amaury Dumortier and Geoffrey Thiriez take line honours in Cap-Martinique © Marc Marsillon / Cap-Martinique

Amaury Dumortier and Geoffrey Thiriez (Terre d’Enfants sur l’Atlantique) have taken line honours in the second edition of the Cap-Martinique, this Saturday 4 May at 22:41:59 hours local time.

The duo took 21 days 41 minutes and 59 seconds to cover the 3,800 miles between La Trinité-sur-Mer (Morbihan, Brittany) and Fort-de-France (Martinique) with a single compulsory passage mark of the Madeira archipelago. Originally from Lille, the two friends took control of the fleet more than 10 days ago and extended their lead from then on. They have posted a fabulous performance on this their very first transatlantic passage. The first to cross the finish line in elapsed time they take line honours, whilst their closest rivals, Gérard Quenot and Bertrand Daniels, are expected to make the finish at around 04:00 hours local time on Sunday morning. There is set to be a bunched finish in Fort-de-France since 10 boats are due to complete the race on 5 May. The first solo skipper, Ludovic Gérard, is on track to cross the finish line at around 21:00 hours local time on Sunday.

The Cap-Martinique is raced in line with the rules in corrected time. To guarantee the utmost fairness, each boat is allocated a rating according to her performance capabilities. This rating is applied to the race time and the winning boat is the one whose corrected time is the lowest. Due to their high rating and their race time, Amaury and Geoffrey will not take victory in corrected time but they may still secure a podium place. Final verdict: tomorrow.

"We didn’t get the impression that we were gaining on a daily basis. We were focused on getting the boat making headway. As far as Cape Finisterre, we weren’t receiving the ranking and it was only when we managed to get 4G reception at Cape Finisterre that we found out we were in sixth place and received encouragement from our loved ones.

It is our first transatlantic passage. Prior to the start, the field of possibility was wide open. We knew we had a boat that was capable of going quick, especially in elapsed time with a fairly high rating coefficient. What we wanted was to have fun and give our all. We said to ourselves that we would do our best to get to Fort-de-France and the result will be the result. There are two or three things we’d have liked to have done better but all in all it went well. We didn’t have any major glitches. Our biggest snag was losing the winch. That might seem trivial, but we only had one left after that and we couldn’t afford to lose it. We don’t know whether our performance is down to preparation or luck. I think both elements played a part.

Twenty days at sea is a revelation. We’d never spent more than 3-4 days in a row at sea. Moreover, on the fifth day, we reckoned that it was quite a bit more than we’d ever done before. It involves long-term management in terms of sleep and our pairing because we’re very different. We argued a bit at times, which is entirely normal. We’ve received loads of messages from the other teams and from our training partners who also prepare for races in Orlabay in La Trinité-sur-Mer (Brittany). A great club spirit has been forged there. That creates something quite strong, as we didn’t really know each other that well before.

We feel really proud to bring the club this line honours. Le Cercle de la Voile des Flandres is a tiny club on a lake and two of its members have done the Route du Rhum, two have done the Cap-Martinique, one crew competes in the World 470 Championships and we have taken line honours in the Cap-Martinique. That’s incredible for a tiny little inland body of water.”

Related Articles

Bulwarks and Bulldust – watch Episode Four
Episode Four - Mark Elkington, The Yacht Sales Co. - is now up and running Watch along as we speak with Mark Elkington from The Yacht Sales Co. about his transition from a West Australian crayfisherman to a global sales and support organisation par excellence. Posted on 30 May
All the hurricane preparation info boaters need
Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1 Recreational boaters whose vessels have been impacted by a hurricane and came out relatively unscathed know it all starts with a plan. Posted on 29 May
Hull 68 progresses on all fronts
Interior and structural systems take shape Hull 68 continues to come together with detailed advancements from the anchor locker to the bridge surround. Up forward, the anchor locker chamber is prepped for its topcoat while the bulkhead is already painted and ready for install. Posted on 29 May
6th Daily's Old School Kingfish Shootout Preview
Family Fishing Fun returns on June 14th! One of the largest kingfish tournaments in the world registers hundreds of anglers from across the Southeast to participate in the annual event at Vilano Beach Fishing Pier. Posted on 24 May
Bulwarks and Bulldust – watch Episode Three
Episode Three - Greg Haines, Princess Yachts Australia - is now up and running Episode Three - Greg Haines, Princess Yachts Australia - is now up and running Posted on 24 May
Maritimo S60 Sedan Motor Yacht - Global launch
Enhancements to both the exterior and interior deliver great appeal Leading Australian luxury motor yacht manufacturer, Maritimo, will proudly display the first S60 Sedan Motor Yacht at the 2025 Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show. Posted on 21 May
Maritimo M50 Flybridge Motor Yacht - Global launch
Setting the benchmark in long-range cruising motor yachts Maritimo, Australia's world-class luxury motor yacht builder, expands its next generation model line-up with the global launch of the all-new M50 Flybridge Motor Yacht at the Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, May 2025. Posted on 21 May
Top 10 baits from Lake Guntersville
Classic, main-river ledge fishing was good, pros slurped fish up off shallower places The Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division event on Lake Guntersville was a great tournament, where all sorts of patterns worked. Posted on 21 May
Evolving an icon - Yellowfin's new video series
Building boats that deliver unmatched performance and unforgettable adventures on the water We're excited to introduce Evolving an Icon, a new video series that gives you a behind the scenes look at our process. The goal? Building boats that deliver unmatched performance and unforgettable adventures on the water, season after season. Posted on 20 May
Navigating in unfamiliar waters
When it comes to navigation, most of us simply rely on our Global Positioning Systems (GPS) There was a time when every car had a map and every boat had a chart. As Global Positioning System (GPS) displays became a standard feature, maps and charts have become somewhat obsolete. Posted on 19 May
Maritimo 2023 M600 FOOTERPalm Beach Motor Yachts