Baptism by Fire: My First BPGO
Known for being one of the toughest races on the Figaro calendar, the Trophée Banque Populaire Grand Ouest (BPGO) lived up to its reputation. Competitors were faced with grueling conditions and an incredibly elite fleet.
Arriving in Concarneau to compete in my first offshore race as a skipper in the Figaro Class was a significant achievement in itself; being the first Kiwi entrant for the BPGO was a huge honor. After years of trying to pull a project together to compete in this class, I had finally been "baptized"—though I didn’t yet know it would be by fire.
The 800-mile race starts and finishes in Concarneau. The fleet first heads north around the Brittany coast, turning back south after rounding the Chausey Islands. From there, the route heads back around Brittany, past the start village, and out to a waypoint in the middle of the Bay of Biscay. After that, the next major turning point is the Île de Ré, just off the coast of La Rochelle, followed by a final sprint back up the coast.
Learning the Ropes
My co-skipper, Corentin Lerouge, and I were excited to start, though our objectives differed from much of the fleet. We had never sailed together before, and this was only my second offshore race in a Figaro 3. Our goal was simple: learn as much as possible about the boat and the difficult racing areas of Brittany, known for its fierce currents and shifty winds. Above all, we wanted to return to Concarneau with both the boat and ourselves in one piece.
We started well, playing the first downwind leg exactly as planned and arriving at the first mark mid-pack. Heading out of Concarneau Bay, the fleet immediately began fighting for the inside line to hide from the tidal current. We reached the first major tidal gate, the Pointe du Raz, in 28th place. Crossing the Raz was intense; with 6 knots of current sweeping the fleet across, I wasn't entirely sure I was in control of the boat.
By nightfall, we made our first mistake. Taking a hitch toward the bay, we sailed too far and separated from the fleet. After a right shift in the breeze, we realized we had lost a mammoth amount of ground—at least 15 minutes behind the tail of the pack. We had work to do.
The Fight Back
That is exactly what we did through the Passage du Fromveur! With the tide finally in our favor and some well-timed tacks, we closed the gap and were back in the mix. By sunrise, the tide had turned against us again, and it became a game of "who can sail closest to the shore."
Tacking inside the rocks made me nervous. Teams were pushing the limits, and some even made contact, damaging their keels. Luckily, we stayed clear of the hazards while engaging in an awesome tacking battle with Ellie Driver and Pip Hare—a battle that would continue for the remainder of our race. We also managed to overtake Erica Lush and Mac Minion before rounding our northern waypoint and hoisting the spinnaker for the downwind run.
Wet and Wild
By this point, we were exhausted. The racing is so intense that I found it nearly impossible to switch off and sleep. The downwind run started smoothly, but as the wind increased as forecasted, we met a "wind-against-tide" scenario with 25 knots of breeze. Things started to get "loose."
"Wet and wild" are the only words to describe that leg. We topped out at 22 knots of boat speed and endured a few heavy wipeouts. It was crazy, but by sailing our hardest, we managed to catch back up to the fleet by the next waypoint.
As we sailed toward the Glénan Islands, Race Director Yann Élias moved the virtual BPGO waypoint. The weather descending on the fleet was becoming dangerous, and the change was meant to keep us out of the worst conditions in the Bay of Biscay. Even so, the conditions remained boat-breaking.
The Decision
On the third morning, we were reaching toward the waypoint in 36 knots of wind and a deteriorating sea state. We also had a worsening technical issue: a broken rudder seal was allowing buckets of water into the boat.
Fatigued and struggling to find a stable mode, we suffered several massive wipeouts with the gennaker. Other boats were already retiring due to damage. After the vang separated from the boom in yet another wipeout, we had to ask ourselves: “What is the objective here?”
Corentin and I decided to retire from the race. It was a culmination of technical issues and a question of safety; we chose to turn around and avoid a dangerous night at sea in a leaking boat.
Reflections
While it was an unfortunate way to end, we were comfortable with the decision. By the time we hit the dock in Concarneau, we had achieved our primary goals. We finished the event with some Grand Prix sailing days in the sunshine and light winds, ending the BPGO with a playbook full of lessons.
I am proud to have been part of this amazing event and to have competed against Ocean Race and Vendée Globe veterans. It was a harsh reality check on how demanding this class is, but it only reinforces why I want to be here. This circuit creates the world’s best offshore sailors. Now, the search for partners begins for the next project.
Luckily, there is always a next race, which is...