A double success for JPK in the Armen Race 2025: the first three places in real time for the JPK 1050s, and the first three in compensated time for the JPK 960s and 1010s.
Capricious weather
The weekend's weather was shaping up to be tricky, with a ridge of high pressure right on the route between La Trinité and the Raz de Sein.
Once again in a duo with Alexis Loison for this race, we get off to a great start. After a bold move through the little hole at La Teignouse, we find ourselves in the lead at Basse Nouvelle, before exiting the channel under Code 0 and the full asymmetric spinnaker.
The fleet stretches out well behind, while in front of the bow, the sea turns white, announcing a complete calm. In the lead, we stop first... only to see the whole fleet coming back to our level. It is the start of a scenario that will be repeated several times over the race. Hard on the big ratings!
Slow record and first breakaways
Ten hours after the start, we pass Groix, and the record for slowest time is broken! As the light winds dies down, the fleet struggles along until the middle of the night, before the wind returns from the north allowing us to pick up some speed. With the Code 0, the boat is super efficient and once again we break away, ahead of Pogo and the other two JPK 1050s.
The compact fleet is behind again, but we're going to have to work hard to open up the gap.
Heading towards the Raz de Sein
The passage to the west of Sein is coming up, and we're alternating between Code 0 and genoa to sail upwind. The mark has finally been passed, with a one-minute lead over Pogo, and a 2-3 mile lead over Solenn et Laudato, owned by Ludo Gérard and Régis Vian. They've promptly found the way to get the boat up and running, and now we're going to have to fight hard.
A clean sheet for Passe Partout
In compensated time, the JPK 960 Passe Partout is well ahead - and not just thanks to a favourable rating. Since the start, they've been sailing without a single mistake, and their place is not stolen!
Behind them, a great bunch of JPK 1010s, with Abracadabra and Ad'Hoc in pole position.
Sliding under spinnaker... and the calm returns
The wind is settling in and gradually increasing to 15-18 knots. Under full spinnaker, the boat is sailing well, with Pogo still 1-2 minutes behind, and the other 1050s between 2 and 4 miles behind.
Sun and wind: it's a happy time aboard Léon. But once again, the wind drops off as we reach Groix, and the speed falls as we approach the Teignouse channel... until we almost stop completely as we reach Quiberon.
The whole fleet comes back, and when they see us stuck, a large number of boats shift to leeward and passes us before Les Cardinaux. It's a hard pill to swallow: we have done our best.
Last efforts
Final upwind tacks for the way back, under genoa first, then Code 0. We're going fast, and we're managing to overtake our rivals one after the other, to beat Solenn in the last mile.
We cross the line in a rather tricky wind for us, but gusts of wind invade the water again, allowing the fleet to finish on a direct course... where we had to tack! We'll have to console ourselves with 1st place for real - especially as the 2nd (Solenn) and 3rd (Laudato) are also JPK 1050s.
En compensé, c’est une autre chanson. Le JPK 960 Passe Partout, vieux de 20 ans, s’impose devant Abracadabra et Ad’Hoc, les deux JPK 1010 ultra bien menés. Six autres JPK 1010 se classent dans les 10 premiers : c’est assez dingue ! Sans oublier la belle victoire en IRC équipage du JPK 1010 « Adeosys » de Ludovic Menhaes !
Stricken but happy
With 2 hours of sleep over 40 hours, Alex and I end up pretty burnt out, and the bottle of champagne waiting for us on the pontoon for first place in the real thing is a bit hard to take!
Sailing with a Figaro racer is intense, and I'm going to need a few days to recover...
In any case, we can't wait to sail together again on Léon, because the boat is really great!
JP Kelbert
JPK 1050
The JPK 1050 is a racing machine designed for the IRC. Compact scow hull, maximum power downwind, optimised rating for solo and double-handed sailing. A pure racer designed to dominate from every angle.
