The Tour de Bretagne à la Voile: the perfect way to get your bearings in double-handed format

Sixth in the provisional ranking of the 12^th Tour de Bretagne à la Voile after three legs, Giancarlo Pedote and Anthony Marchand have been constantly raising their game since the start of the event. As hoped then, it’s been the perfect exercise for the duo, who decided to compete in the race with the aim of continuing to get their bearings and work on the on-board communication with a view to the upcoming Transat Jacques Vabre. “It’s been a very rewarding experience for me. It’s always interesting to switch from one boat to another, to leave your usual playing field behind you and discover another class”, explains the skipper of Prysmian Group, who has spent the week making his debut on the new Figaro Bénéteau 3, a boat which is inevitably very different to his 60-footer. “You don’t do a lot of helming on an IMOCA. As such, I’ve rediscovered certain sensations on the Groupe Royer – Secours Populaire and I also relish close-contact racing on courses hugging the coast. Tight battles at an intense rhythm are something that I love and it’s the perfect way to unify the pairing I have with Anthony with a view to the upcoming transatlantic race, as we have to put in a lot of manoeuvres and we have to be very reactive playing amongst the rocks and currents. In a context like this, you have no other option than to understand one another quickly and well so that the pairing works. We’re gradually finding a balance and we’re feeling more at ease every day”, added the Italian sailor, who loves nothing better than learning and has no issue with calling himself into question, two qualities which are prevalent in the greatest champions. “We’re making progress and there are still two races to go in this Tour de Bretagne. We’re going to continue with our work and naturally we’ll do our best to hunt down another leg podium like the one we bagged on Wednesday”, concluded Giancarlo, who hopes to remain in the Top 10, his initial objective, but is currently on track to try for a top five result. Verdict this Saturday in La Trinité-sur-Mer.