Transat Café L'Or: The "diamonds in the rough" in the Atlantic final spurt

In addition to the four classic races in the four classes of the Transat Café L'Or, there is an award for the fastest on the passage between the Diamond Rock in the south of Martinique and the arrival in Fort-de-France on the west coast of the Caribbean island. This special award was won by the Ultims "Banque Populaire XI" and the Imocas "Macif Santé Prévoyance".

The rock for the finale at Transat Café L'Or

Both teams started the Transat as favourites. Neither was able to fulfil this role. Armel Le Cléac'h and Sébastien Josse were the fourth and last Ultim to finish after an early repair stop. Sam Goodchild and Loïs Berrehar on the Vendée Globe winner "Macif Santé Prévoyance" had to contend with both Jérémie Beyou's "Charal" and 11th Hour skipper Frankie Clapcich and Will Harris on Boris Herrmann's ex-"Malizia - Seaexplorer".

At the Ocean Fifties, the seventh and last "Mon Bonnet Rose" to reach the finish line won the special prize, which is primarily intended to draw attention to the famous diamond rock off Martinique, its biodiversity and its history. In French, the rock is called Rocher du Diamant. Tourists know it as a curiosity. For sailors, the sight of it usually marks the return to land after a long voyage. Sailors in the Transat Café L'Or know this: When the diamond rock comes into view, the race is almost over.

This rock is a paradise for flora and fauna. As it is inaccessible to humans, it has been declared a nature reserve managed by the Conservatoire du Littoral. Terns and brown rock birds can be found here, as well as moonfish, moray eels, lobsters and turtles underwater. The island is very popular with divers due to its exceptional biodiversity.

In the spotlight every two years: the diamond rock

Located around two kilometres off the south-west coast of the Caribbean island in the St Lucia Channel, the little sister in the shape of a bevelled diamond is also part of Martinique's history: at the beginning of the 19th century, the British had a garrison of around ten men stationed there. The war with the French for control of the Antilles was raging. The French had to endeavour to regain control over the course of a long siege.

Today, every two years - at each Transat Café L'or Le Havre Normandie - the Diamond Rock is once again in the spotlight: the "Trophée du Diamant" rewards the fastest duos from the Diamond Rock to the finish line. There are a total of eleven nautical miles between these two points. Because the wind and weather can be capricious here and there is often even no wind in the island cover, it is not always the class winners who take this trophy.

Who will it be in the Class40? In the only class still actively sailing in the Transat Café L'Or, the north-south thriller raged towards its decision on Sunday evening. It could be decided on the night of 17 to 18 November. Although the defence the southern duo of Guillaume Pirouelle/Cédric Chateau continued the lead they took on "Seafrigo - Sogestran" on 13 Novemberbut the lead over the fastest North team Corentin Douguet/Axel Tréhin on "SNSM - Faites un don" had melted away again at just 21 nautical miles.

The North-South thriller in Transat Café L'Or rages on

At this point, the leaders still had 190 nautical miles to go past the Diamond Rock and to the finish. And there was every indication that Cédric Chateau would be right in his prediction that the decision in this thrilling Class 40 match might not be made until the finish or shortly before. Click here to track the Class40 at Transat Café L'Or.

There was also good news recently for Sasha Lanièce and Sanni Beucke on "Alderan", who moved up two places to 17th in the South Group. Their closest rivals sailed in the north group on the evening of 16 November: Pamela Lee and Jay Thompson on "Empowher" were almost 17 nautical miles behind Lanièce and Beucke in the long-distance duel.