Virtual sailing

I avoid Virtual Regattas like I avoid my kids teaching me how to use their PlayStation. While I prefer sticking with only the real thing, clearly there are a lot of other people that enjoy couch sports. Hopefully, that will not become their permanent sporting preference, but to each their own.

Here is the latest Virtual Regatta announcement:

BOLKI, winner of the virtual Route du Rhum La Banque Postale!

The virtual Route du Rhum La Banque Postale, which started on 31 October in St. Malo at the same time as the real race, has its winner! After a decisive last night during which he took advantage of a wind change to the west, BOLKI snatched the victory from more than 240,000 contenders! On his multihull, he was ahead of his follower DIOUCK56, by just under a minute. Story of a race full of suspense.

While Franck Cammas was celebrating his winning of the Rhum in Guadeloupe, BOLKI won the virtual version of the Route du Rhum La Banque Postale. This was a particularly enjoyable victory, since it was achieved with some pain and indecision after 8 days and 21 hours at sea and 4,257miles.

For his 16th virtual race, BOLKI went looking for his first honours in the Virtual Regatta after a dazzling comeback. In the last miles of the race, when the leader SECE RKN was forced to break tacks on the wind, between the islands to reach the finishing line, BOLKI and DIOUCK snatched the race lead from SECE RKN, with the help of a wind change to the West.

BOLKI’s exploit was then to set a layline more than 100 miles from the finish and to reach the south point of Marigot by tacking. At the same time, DIOUCK56, positioned further ahead, but a few miles leeward, had to tack to reposition his boat on the line, leaving the victory to BOLKI.

An experienced virtual sailor, BOLKI has regularly been ranked in the Top 100 of the competitions organized by Many Players these last few years. He achieved a very fine 4th place in the Transat Jacques Vabre and a 12th place in the Trophée Jules Verne in 2009. He will be a man to watch out for in the overall Virtual Regatta 2010 ranking!