Day 4 of the Seychelles Challenge saw competitors face their toughest conditions yet, forcing a mid-course change as a significant ocean swell rolled in.
The race was originally planned to take competitors from Praslin on an anti-clockwise course around La Digue, finishing in the port. However, with an approximate 2-meter swell creating difficult and unpleasant conditions – particularly on the south side of the island – race officials made the prudent decision to shorten the course, setting a new finish line just outside the La Digue harbour.
Despite the challenging sea state, which proved difficult for the catamarans to navigate, several teams demonstrated exceptional seamanship to conquer the conditions. The play of the day was conservative sailing; this was not a day for tactical games. The teams that chose to reef their sails and not over-canvas their boats ultimately delivered the best performances.
Continuing their impressive run, Tony Norris and his team, Knot So Fast, Just Furious, claimed their third consecutive victory. They were followed by Hylton Hale and Team Mischief in second place. In a well-deserved result, Rob Sharp and Stuart Loxton of team Motor & Sail Investment sailed an excellent race to secure third, and finally pulled a great performance out of the bag.
Though the race was short, lasting just over an hour, it was a fantastic day on the water. Spirits are high among all the teams, and it was a welcome sight to see some new faces celebrating on the podium.
Final Results:
1. Knot So Fast, Just Furious (Tony Norris & Team)
2. Team Mischief (Hylton Hale & Team)
3. Team Motor and Sail Investment (Rob Sharp & Team)
