This week, Yann Eliès completed his qualifying passage for The Artemis Transat, which is due to begin in Plymouth on 11th May. Setting sail from his base in Lorient, the large red and white monohull sailed the 300 miles required by the IMOCA class and the race organiser, following the fitting of a new mast this winter.

Yann Eliès: "The main focus of attention during this trip was, of course, the new mast. After a bit of trial and error, we found the right adjustment and the reaction from the boat was immediate. Generali really takes off more quickly, and she already seems much keener. The long leg reaching also proved to be very useful to appreciate the boat’s light weight. In 15 to 20 knot winds, we constantly hovered between 20 and 22 knots, on seas that were very easy to handle." Feeling pleased about his new steering system, Yann also expressed his satisfaction about the interior fittings: "The return from the Gironde Estuary to Groix was upwind sailing and I was able to appreciate the great protection offered by the sliding roof, as well as the clear, wide view I had. The new set of sails with an extended square top, will need to be tested in light airs."
Now that he has qualified, Yann Eliès will be continuing his preparation programme. The training session that is due to take place from Monday at the Port la Forêt training centre will see a certain number of the top Imoca boats battle it out outside of the framework of a competition. It will be interesting to see how the different boats behave after the long winter break.