2023-10-28 16:31:54
In Le Havre this Saturday morning, Christian Dumard, the meteorologist for the Transat Jacques Vabre, presented the menu that awaits the competitors for the first days of the race. With a violent depression expected over the Bay of Biscay on Tuesday and Wednesday, it was decided that the “Class40s” would compete in the race to Fort-de-France in two stages, with a stopover in Lorient. This is a first in the history of the race created in 1993, of which this is the 16th edition.
“A finish line will be set up in Lorient and we will organize a second start when the weather situation allows safe sailing towards Fort-de-France,” said Francis Le Goff, the race director. The start of this 2nd stage will be given in fleet and the classification established the arrival in Martinique at the sum of the times of the two stages. »
A decision well accepted
Behind the Ultim, the Imoca and the Ocean Fifty, the Class40 are the smallest boats entered, raced by amateurs and professionals alike. This is the most represented category with 44 vessels out of 95, with a length of 12.18 meters. Smaller than Imoca, these boats are more affordable, slower but also more fragile.
The Class40s were originally intended to complete a 4,500-mile journey across the North Atlantic in one go, including a passage around the island of Sal. But the difficult weather encouraged the organizers to set up the Lorient stopover.
“I competed in the Transat Jacques Vabre solo, double-handed and now it takes the form of a stage race, let’s be crazy!, exclaimed Vincent Riou (Crosscall), Class40: What’s certain is that is that going live on the initial course, it did not work. This original decision is very acceptable. The important thing is that we have a race, I hope with 44 boats at the start of the second stage, and that we have fun. (…) Psychologically, we had prepared ourselves for a certain outcome, now we have to approach things differently, and go back behind the computer. »
“It changes a lot of things, starting with the course which will be much more coastal, as well as the intensity that we will put into it,” estimates Nicolas Andrieu (Alla Grande Pirelli). We will have to give everything over 36 hours. »
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