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Dear readers,

"Rien ne va plus - nothing works anymore!" is the final message in the WhatsApp chat of the editorial sports group. While this messenger channel is normally used for an up-to-date and mostly technical exchange on sporting events in the sailing world, the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre (TJV) in the middle of the race - around 2,500 nautical miles sailed by the majority of the fleet - led to a heated exchange of messages between the eight group members. The reason: a bet! Ten euros each on the winner of the Imoca class. Before everyone decides on their favourite team, they talk shop until the smartphone keyboard glows. The TJV tracker is used to predict the routing of the 34 Imocas still sailing, the weather and wind charts are studied, team strengths and weaknesses are analysed and overlaid with the design details of the top 15 racers, before finally - after what feels like hours - a decision is made. Two groups were formed: North and South.

The first name in the lottery pot: "Teamwork.net" with Justine Mettraux and Julien Villion on board, who fearlessly opted for a tough assault race on the northern route, which also earned them a great deal of respect from the group sailing around 1,000 nautical miles to the south around the leader and defending champion "For People" of co-skippers Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière and the Koch-Conq design "Paprec Arkéa" following close behind. The "Malizia" duo Boris Herrmann and Will Harris, who are not far behind, are also cheering on the brave runaways, while the Imoca fleet is hurtling towards Fort-de-France with distances of 500 nautical miles and more.

With "Paprec Arkéa", "For People", "Charal" and, of course, "Malizia - Seaexplorer", the betting shop closes and the tension mounts. It's amazing what 80 euros in the lottery pot can do. While the race was only a gentle lull until half-time and despite the stormy start, just after the Canary Islands it's time for daily - no, hourly - excitement. The last time my colleagues and I did this was at the beginning of the year during The Ocean Race or during the last Vendée. The TJV tracker as a constant companion - before going to bed and with the first coffee after waking up.

The following seven days really do fly by, and the final off Martinique offers exciting sailing at its best. After more than 5,300 nautical miles, Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière's "For People" is not my favourite ("Malizia"!), but I'm still happy. Regatta fever can be so beautiful! Some crews seem to feel the same way, as you could see from Boris and Will in their daily video message from the cockpit. The closer we got to the Caribbean, the more entertaining and relaxed the likeable duo became. It was wonderfully entertaining, and we as viewers were able to join in the fun.

We have the fearless "Teamwork.net" team from the north to thank for the fact that it was still going to be exciting, as they crossed the finish line an incredible 65 seconds ahead of "Malizia" and secured sixth place. Shortly before, "Charal" and "Initiatives - Cœur" with Sam Davies and Jack Bouttell were the fourth and fifth boats to moor in the harbour of Fort-de-France. Transat silver was secured by "Paprec Arkéa" ahead of "For the Planet".

Boris Herrmann was also satisfied with a place in the top 10: "It was a great race and an epic final! We were neck and neck with three other boats right to the end," said the Team Malizia founder. "We are very happy and the TJV is a good motivation for the next races."

Which, incidentally, will not be long in coming, as Herrmann only has a few days in the Caribbean to prepare for the solo return race Retour à la Base, which starts on 30 November. Unlike many of his competitors, who still urgently need this race as a mile qualification for the Vendée Globe 2024/2025, the five-time circumnavigator is already qualified for his second non-stop round-the-world race. However, the Hamburg native wants to use the solo race to Lorient in France for intensive preparation. He said: "I want to see where I stand and how I can get back into single-handed sailing."

I doubt whether we'll be opening the betting shop again by then. In any case, we'll be following the second half of the season and hope to see video reports from on board again.

The 16th Transat Jacques Vabre had far more to offer than sailing legends on foiling Imoca racers. In a total of four classes (Ultim, Ocean Fifty, Class 40, Imoca), 115 boats crossed the starting line, eleven of which did not make it to the Caribbean and had to turn back due to technical problems. The Class 40 tracker scramble, in which the only purely German transat crew from "Sign for Com" bravely proved themselves, was also a thrill. Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink, like a quarter of the Class 40 fleet, opted for the northern route and were occasionally stuck in light winds. On Thursday, the first Class 40 reached Martinique with "Alla Grande Pirelli" skippered by Ambrogio Beccaria and Nicolas Andrieu, followed by 20 teams in close succession. The dream team Burke/Fink secured a fantastic 13th place after a tough Atlantic ride.

It's amazing how close the field of sailing professionals gets after thousands of nautical miles and two completely different routes. That's what makes the big ocean races so appealing, even without any stakes.

Martin Hager,

Editor-in-Chief YACHT

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