Four, ten, thirteen: this is how the number of applicants at Cap pour Elles for the Transat Café L'Or (ex-Transat Jacques Vabre) has changed. increased in recent years. While there were four applicant duos at the premiere of the funding competition for female two-handed teams in 2021, in 2023 ten two-handed teams were already competing for the female Class 40 "wild card" for the leap across the Atlantic, which comes with strong funding. This year, 13 women's doubles teams wanted the ticket.
Cap pour Elles: three German sailors in the final
The growing number of female applicants reflects the increasing interest of women in sailing. According to the organisers, only around ten percent of all ocean sailors are still women. The "Cap pour Elles with Engie" competition is also intended to help pave the way for more female sailors to enter the sport of ocean sailing.
Three German sailors were among the candidates for the Cap pour Elles this year: Sanni Beucke (Norddeutscher Regatta Verein) alongside French sailor Sasha Lanièce, Sophie von Waldow (Potsdamer Yacht-Club/Bayerischer Yacht-Club) and Oda Hausmann (Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee/Bayerischer Yacht-Club). All three reached the final round of the best six teams, but were beaten by the winners Aina Bauza and Caroline Boule.
Spain's Aina Bauza and France's Caroline Boule have won the right to take a big step towards their XL dreams with a Class40. They will be able to prepare for the Transat Café L'Or Le Havre Normandie under optimal conditions and in a professional setting. They will be looked after by experienced team manager Anne Combier, who has already supported big names such as former Vendée Globe winner Yannick Bestaven and many other top athletes.
First Ilca 6 and Mini, then via Transat to the Vendée Globe
Caroline Boule is 27 years old and was born in Warsaw. Her mother holds Polish and French citizenship. Her daughter studied in London and Paris, completed her master's degree in nuclear engineering and lives in Lorient. Winning the Cap pour Elles on the Transat course means a lot to her: "It's a wonderful opportunity to take part in this legendary race. The aim is to try and put in a real performance. We remain realistic, it's our first participation. Aina has sailed a bit of Class40, I haven't at all."
Caroline Boule is fascinated by speed, innovation and foiling. She has taken part in several mini-races and has realistic hopes: "Our ambitions are high, but at the level of our capabilities." 30-year-old Mallorcan Aina Bauza has also set her sights on Lorient after studying in the merchant navy and giving up Olympic sailing after narrowly missing out on the Ilca 6 qualification for the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.
The two crossed paths in the heartland of French sailing. Aina Bauza explains: "It's great to be able to celebrate with all these big boats and big names. But this Transat Café L'Or is 'just' an ideal stopover for both of us. To learn, train and realise our dream, which is to sail around the world single-handed and compete in the Vendée Globe on an Imoca in 2028 or 2032."
Smart female sailors want to inspire
Together, the two sailors speak five languages. They want to share their adventure with many people, especially via social networks. In November, they will even return to France from Martinique with influencers on board their Class 40. "We want to inspire everyone who has dreams," says Aina Bauza. "Sailing is a good medium for making a difference," says Caroline Boule. She continues: "For my part, I'm trying to find solutions to reduce energy consumption by developing more environmentally friendly boats."
You can't reduce a woman to just being a woman." Claudie Haigeneré
Former French astronaut and politician Dr Claudie Haigeneré is the patron of the Transats Café L'Or and the Cap pour Elles competition. She says of the winners Aina Bauza and Caroline Boule: "It's not just a team of women, but a team of sailors that has been selected. What I really liked myself, what touched me, is their team spirit. They are a daring, well-prepared, responsible team with a friendly bond."
Claudie Haigeneré was also impressed by the dynamism of the two Siger women: "They bring a breath of fresh air. They also innovate with a new way of conceptualising the race. They have a lot of innovative ideas, both in terms of technology and ecology, but also in terms of communication. They will have an impact on young people and provide inspiration. They have dared and are daring to dream big. They are already real champions."
GER sailors want to try again
Although the German sailors were unable to win the competition in their favour, they enjoyed the experience of applying. "We were late with the idea of taking part, but we'll try again next time," said Sophie von Waldow, who with the "Red Bandit" team had just been narrowly beaten by Boris Herrmann's "Malizia - Seaexplorer" in the battle for the title of "Best German Offshore Yacht 2024" at the German Offshore Award in Hamburg City Hall. Sophie von Waldow from Berlin, who lives in Munich, got talking to Germany's most famous sea sailor in the Hanseatic city, as did Sanni Beucke.
This is what the winners of the Cap pour Elles competition had in mind:
To the Transat Café L'Or well-known German sailors will also be competing. The Class 40 forwards Melwin Fink and Lennart Burke are definitely expected to take part. Whether and in what constellation Team Malizia's sailors will contest the race has not yet been confirmed. Here is the unusual trailer for the Transat Café L'Or:
