Resume 2006
The Inaugural Rames-Guyane Race Proves to be more Tactical than Expected
For the fifteen pioneers who opened the first edition of this Solo Atlantic Rowing Race, they were head-on into difficulties 
from the start, and by the finish had realised they had tested a route more tactical than anyone had expected.
The winner, Romain Vergé, has signed his name on the first chapter of this new adventure. Followed by the next four ranked competitors to cross the finish line. They were in order: Patrick Favre 2nd, Jean-Francois Tardiveau 3rd, Sophie Macé 4th and Christophe Henry 5th.
The two greatest difficulties causing abandonment were the phenomenae of the equatorial counter current and the crossing of the continental shelf for the finish. Particularly the latter, as there was no lee-way in the needed for the arrival, Which disqualified some of the rowers from being placed and receiving the just accolades they deserved.
At the start of the race from St.Louis du Senegal, 19th November 2006, were fifteen pioneer rowers - fourteen men and one woman. A mix of experienced rowers and amateurs, ready for their assault on the North Atlantic, heading for Guyane. From the beginning it was difficult, with a tough start at the sand bar where the mouth of the River Senegal meets the sea making a big wave, thrown even higher than usual by a sudden change in wind direction. Four competitors capsized. Three were so badly damaged they had to retire from the race: Phillipe Malapert, Jean-Jacques Gauthier - one of the favourites, he hurt his back during the capsize, and Patrick Deixonne, who although he hurt his knee and tried to re-start, he had to very quickly decide to abandon. Of the four forced back at the start, only Joe le Guen, after returning for repairs and setting out again from St.Louis du Senegal three days later was able to continue.
Right from the start two rowers detached themselves from the field and took a rapid lead. They were Emmanuel Coindre who is the solo record holder of both cross Atlantic and cross Pacific rowing, and Romain Vergee also a rowing champion. They set a good rythmn and a strong pace. Meanwhile the main field of rowers behind discovered the ocean and adapted to their environment at sea, while overcoming sea-sickness. Very quickly the fleet divided into four distinct groups. After the two leaders, there were those choosing a more northerly route - Patrick Favre, Jean-Francois Tardiveau the veteran, and Phillipe Soetaert, also Sophie Macee the only woman and Jean-Pierre Lacroix. Setting themselves on a more southerly course were Joe le Guen, Jacques Djeddi, Jean-Pierre Lasalarie and Christophe Henry. Closing the field was Didier Lemoine who had a problem at the start trying to get himself off the African coast and continued with a broken rudder.
A Very Tactical Race
For something like twenty days, the first part of the race, the rowers were helped by favourable trade winds, and settled conditions. Their progress was constant and straightforward. It was not until the contestants reached the mid-point did they have to face making tactical choices. Approaching what was to become their bete-noir, the first big trap of the entire race, was the Equatorial counter-Current. This current runs between 33degrees West - 47degreesWest longitude. It caused most of the problems the rowers encountered during the race.
On the 5th December 06, a pyramidal wave capsized Emmanuel Coindre, who had been leading all the way from the start. From what his router explained, the wave was probably a freak of the counter-current, and Emmanuel was caught by it as he was navigating at the time it struck and the hatch was open. This prevented him re-righting his boat and he had no choice but to activate his argos balise. He was quickly rescued by the French Navy frigate "Germinal", who also took on board his boat. For Emmanuel Coindre, the race was over.
For the rest of the fleet, their trial by the counter-current was only just beginning. Roman Vergé was put into first place by the abandonment of the leader, and he was soon heading on a southerly course for Brazil. Race head-quarters and other routers were puzzled at first by this tactic, as on a map it did not seem logical. But it quickly showed itself to be the winning option. Behind Romain, Christophe Henry, Jean-Pierre Lasalarié, Jacques Djeddi and Lemoine were to use the same tactic to escape the counter-current. The competitors who took the more northerly direct route quickly realised they were trapped. Patrick Favre, Jean-Francois Tardiveau, Phillipe Sauter and Jean-Pierre Lacroix were so caught they hardly progressed at all for several days and even lost ground. Of those on the northerly route only Sophie Macee decided on a daring escape from the heart of the problem. By heading even further to the north until she picked up a west moving vein of the current, she gained 300 miles in 10 days. For a few days this manouevre put her in 2nd place, she was to eventuallyu finish the race in 4th position.
On the 19th December '06, another competitor, Phillipe Soetaert, had to abandon. He had been thrown across the cockpit, hurting his back, during a capsize, and had to ask for assistance from the support boat "Colombus". He decided to abandon. Joe le Guen had a different problem, he lost his radio contact at the half-way point, and never regained it. He had to rely on his instincts as a sailor, and although he followed Roman Vergee on the southerly winning option, at the end he did not capitalise from choosint this tactic. Joe was to fail the the finish by falling into the second big trap of the race waiting for all the competitors off the Cayenne Coast.
Racing Finale - a Finish for Strong-armed Rowers
After battling with the counter-current, the arrival for the finish was no easier. The second big trial of the race was negotiating the seas off the Brazilian-Gyanese coast. Stretching for several hundred miles off-shore is a continental-shelf of shallower water, with the gradient rising more steeply approaching the shoreline. Across this shallow water, the tides throw up a chaotic, anarchic swell, and the prevailing easterly wind threatens to push boats onto the rocky coast. For many the race ended in a race to land safetly as much as to cross the finish line. With the hindsight of experience, even for strong rowers, it was not a wise choice to have to go into this area to land.
Romain Vergee in the lead, was the first to test himself and this race course. He chose the most direct route and passed by using every last ounce of his strength and stamina. By forcing his way rowing ceaselessly without sleep. Behind him were Jean-Pierre Lasalarie, who looked to take 2nd place, and further away Christoph Henry,both arriving from the southerly route. In the end Lasalarie was unable to save his position and he could not reach the course that Roman Vergee passed through. As hard as he fought he found himself trapped 10 miles from the finish and was unclassed. Meanwhile Jean-Francois Tardiveau, the veteran and Patrick Favre, were also close to finishing, after escaping the counter-current on the northerly route. They placed themselves well to go direct for the finish line as they reached the coast. It proved a good tactic fot the finish and they took 2nd and 3rd place respectivley on the podium. The next match finish, after 2,060 miles, was between Christoph Henry from the south route and Sophie Macee from the northern route. To the advantage of Sophie who took 4th place and Henry 5th. Behind these two were Jean-Pierre Lacroix who did not manage to escape the trap of the arrival,and he failed a few miles short of the finish line, and Joe le Guen, continuing with no radio contact, and also unplaced. He was forced to abandon for his own safety, as he was too close to the Brazilian coast and still 150 miles to the finish.
It was a cruel end to the race for many of the rowers. Jaques Djeddi added his name to the list of victims, capsizing with only another 65 miles to go. The last victim was Didier Lemoine who rowed for 59 days with no rudder, and was finally defeated by the trap of the Continental shelf.
