There has been a lot of sanding, laminating, screwing and pondering over the past few months. Even the smaller, less well-financed teams have spent a few thousand hours preparing for the season, the top teams 5,000 or even more - per boat, mind you. This is because it was not only necessary to carry out ongoing maintenance, which is time-consuming enough, but also to implement the final major adjustments for the Vendée Globe and the final phase of the necessary qualification.
Now comes the moment of truth with the Transat CIC. The majority of solo skippers will probably sail rather conservatively to New York, because serious damage to the substance or even a failure could jeopardise their participation in the return race and the Vendée. Nevertheless, the opening race will allow initial conclusions to be drawn about the competitiveness of the boats and how well they have been developed.
There are four factors that, beyond all strategic considerations, should make it possible to determine where you stand. Firstly, there is the competitive fever that regularly ensures that skippers push themselves harder than they set out to do. There are the advantages that come from being close to the most direct competitors - namely being able to better assess their potential and learn from their choice of sail, sail design and trim. There is the desire to practise yourself in race mode and get back into the mindset that will be so crucial for the first few weeks of the Vendée. And finally, there is the chance to seriously test the boat for any weaknesses, which are better recognised now than just before or, worse still, during the Vendée.
This explains the high number of participants, although the Transat on the northern route with the expected high proportion of upwind is not at all typical of the Vendée course, which contains far more reaching and downwind in percentage terms. Especially in combination with the return race to Les Sables d'Olonne, the Transat CIC offers the best possible preparation.
Boris Herrmann and "Malizia - Seaexplorer" in the extended circle of favourites
That's how Boris Herrmann, 44, sees it too: he wants to sail westwards "with dedication, but not at the drop of a hat" in order to bring his "Malizia - Seaexplorer" safely across the North Atlantic. At the New York - Vendée at the end of May, he will then fight for the best possible result, no longer focussing primarily on arriving.
Following the latest optimisations, his Imoca is a bank on both regattas. After taking part in The Ocean Race last year, "Malizia - Seaexplorer" is one of the most sophisticated boats of the current generation. The new foils designed by Sam Manuard, which generate even more buoyancy, bring its VPLP design from planing to flying mode earlier. This should largely eliminate the last performance deficits.
The cockpit ergonomics, already a strong point of Boris' boat, have also been improved. A bucket seat with suspension, on which the Hamburg native can also doze or sleep, was added over the winter. It can be mounted on both sides and allows direct access to the autopilot and sheets, so that Boris can actively steer and trim for longer without unnecessarily wearing out his strength. A point that seems particularly important because the top of the Imoca field is now much closer together than it was four years ago. In addition to mental fitness, physical fitness and endurance are more important than ever.
According to Boris' own assessment from last autumn, he was not one of the absolute contenders for victory, at least at that time, but was one of the extended favourites. He finished a very respectable fourth in the single-handed "Retour a la Base", behind Yoann Richomme, Jérémie Beyou and Sam Goodchild. The Transat CIC could already show whether he and "Malizia - Seaexplorer" have made the connection to the top, but the New York - Vendée regatta in May, which should suit his boat better, will be even more important.
The "Fabulous Four" - who is sailing for victory and why
According to many observers, the top of the class is represented by these four skippers, all French, all victorious in different classes, all equipped with top boats, although one of them will be sitting out the Transat CIC.
1. Charlie Dalin, 39
The over-sailor. Missed the Transat Jacques Vabre in the autumn due to illness, where he only crossed the start line for the sake of qualifying and then immediately turned off, so he also missed the Retour a la Base. But he has one of the fastest Imoca 60s, good on all courses, including upwind, which will be relevant at the Transat CIC. And he has never finished lower than second place in the past three years. An absolutely exceptional talent, and as a designer he is also technically far ahead. You can and must always expect great things from him.
2. Yoann Richomme, 40
New to the Imocas, but previously dominant in the Class 40 and Figaro class. Can push boundaries when the opportunity arises, as he proved at the Route du Rhum 2022, when he fell far behind shortly after the start due to a time penalty and was already sailing at the front again three days later. Excellent navigator and weather forecaster. His Finot-Koch design "Paprec-Arkea" is demonstrably fast and universal, as he proved with his victory in the Retour a la Base. An unpleasant opponent: clever, unyielding, experienced, hungry.
3. Jérémie Beyou, 47
Oldest and most experienced candidate for victory. The "Charal" skipper was the first to have a boat of the latest generation built. The Manuard design with the innovative V-rudder, which is intended to allow more stable flight phases and is particularly advantageous in windy conditions with a good breeze, is always in the top places. However, it does not appear to be superior. On the other hand, Beyou's team has a depth and excellence that few others can match. It is quite possible that further development over the winter will make it even more powerful. It would be a relief, as the veteran has always fallen just short of expectations, including his own. Although the ultimate goal remains a Vendée victory, a Transat success could alleviate the noticeably increased pressure to succeed.
4. Thomas Ruyant, 42
The skipper of the "For People", whose racing team TR Racing also includes Sam Goodchild, is taking a break from the Transat CIC and will only start in the return race New York - Vendée. Nevertheless, he deserves a mention here. After all, Ruyant has won all the major transats in the past three years: twice TJV, once Route du Rhum. In the Rolex Fastnet Race 2023, he had to abandon his then still new boat designed by Finot-Conq and Antoine Koch - a sister ship to Richomme's "Paprec-Arkea" - shortly after the strong wind start due to severe delamination in the structure. The damage was so severe that his technical team was worried that the hull might collapse when it was craned in Lorient. In the meantime, the stringers have long since been replaced and the floor assembly has been reinforced. Ruyant is burning for another big win, and he is a fighter. However, things didn't go so well at the Retour a la Base last autumn: only 17th place after a crack in the main and other calamities. It's clear that he wants to do better at the end of May.
Ten that are good for surprises
Just under a dozen skippers fall under the heading "Best of the Rest". Whether Boris Herrmann will be able to catch up with the top 5 or join the dozen or so challengers will become clear in six weeks at the latest. In any case, he will also have to hold his own against the following candidates.
1st Nico Lunven, 41
The two-time Figaro winner recently sailed to the podium in the Imoca class: as navigator in Boris Herrmann's Team Malizia, he finished third with the crew in The Ocean Race. Before that, he had already made his mark several times, for example in the Guyader Bermudes 1000 Race in 2022, when he sensationally took fourth place with a non-foiler. Now, with "Holcim - PRB", the Verdier design finalised by Kevin Escoffier, he has a really powerful boat at his disposal for the first time and enough budget to show his true class. As a routing expert and a quiet, meticulous worker who can bite, the Transat CIC will suit him.
2. Sébastien Simon, 33
Despite his young age, he has a lot of Imoca experience. And with the former "11th Hour Racing", he has nothing less than the winning boat of The Ocean Race at his disposal, now under the name "Groupe Dubreuil". This is not only one of the most sophisticated Imoca 60s; it is also made for the North Atlantic Transat. This is because the Verdier design from 2021 was conceived for an ocean race route that was originally intended to go via China - with a high proportion of upwind sailing. Good man, strong boat: something should work!
3. Paul Meilhat, 39
His "Biotherm", also a Verdier design, was finished late and suffered from a lack of preparation time right from the start of The Ocean Race. Now, however, it should last. The boat has four more ring frames than a year ago and has also received a few other upgrades. Meilhat himself is another guy to watch out for. After all, he was Imoca champion in 2021 and is regarded as a capable instinctive sailor.
4. Sam Davies, 49
Currently the most experienced woman among the Vendée aspirants. With her Manuard design, she also has a fast, economical boat at her disposal. Although it is not at the level of Jérémie Beyou's "Charal 2", it is certainly good for the top 10. With her "Initiatives-Cœur", Davies has recently often been in 5th or 6th place.
5 Justine Mettraux, 37
The "Teamwork.net" skipper from Switzerland is roughly on a par with Sam Davies. Her boat is the old "Charal" from Beyou, no longer the benchmark of the class, but not far from the absolute top. A great, tough, yet likeably quiet and unpretentious sailor who possesses incredible inner strength.
6. Yannick Bestaven, 51
Surprise winner of the last Vendée Globe, back then on a first-generation foiler. Now racing with the latest equipment, he has not yet found his way back to success. The skipper of the "Maitre Coq V", the oldest in this form guide, needs a good placing, not so much for the qualification, but more for his psyche and sponsor. He has been training in the Canary Islands over the winter, so will be in strong early form.
7 Maxime Sorel, 37
He was strong in the Class 40, had a strong debut at the 2020/21 Vendée Globe considering the age of his boat, and even now the skipper of "V and B - Monbana - Mayenne" is not disappointing. His Verdier design, built in 2022 with the dragon in the main and jib, has always been good for single-digit results since then.
8. Damien Seguin, 44
He is currently ranked 7th in the Imoca class, which is a good reflection of his potential. Although he was born with only one hand and is therefore slightly handicapped, he was consistently ranked between 5th and 15th in the Imoca regattas last year. The "Groupe Apicil" skipper sails one of the older designs in the Transat field, the "Safran", built in 2014, with which Yannick Bestaven recently won the Vendée. Damien Seguin has given her new foils designed to the limits of the class, giving her a noticeable boost. Top 10 is absolutely possible.
9. Louis Burton, 38
In 2021, he took third place in the Vendée with his fearless style and impressed many. The "Bureau Vallée skipper then secured one of the recognised fastest boats of the previous generation, Armel Tripon's former "L'Occitane en Provence" - a Manuard design. This should actually have brought Louis Burton to the front. But two mast breakages in 2021 and 2022 set him back. He has not yet regained his Vendée form since then - probably also a testament to the now very high performance density of the class.
10. Sam Goodchild, 34
Sails on Thomas Ruyant's former "LinkedOut", a Verdier design built by Persico in 2019, which is considered a good all-rounder. Always came third in all the regattas he took part in in 2023, even against top competition. So he is definitely a candidate for the podium. He also gained valuable experience in The Ocean Race as part of Team Holcim - PRB on a foiler of the latest generation. He should definitely not be underestimated. However, Sam Goodchild will also be missing from the Transat CIC and will only start in the New York - Vendée. He and team boss Ruyant can use the transfer to the USA for internal testing, as they are the only ones pursuing a two-boat programme with "For People" and "For the Planet".
Structure, sails, ergonomics - most of the teams worked intensively on these over the winter
One of the peculiarities of the Imoca class is that, although the sailors and technicians maintain a lively dialogue about further developments and innovations, they do not always lay all their cards on the table. Especially before the Vendée Globe, areas that are considered particularly relevant for reliability and performance always remain underexposed - even now that the major modifications have all been implemented. There are three areas that were high on the list of requirements for almost all teams:
1. the strength of the hulls
When it comes to foilers, especially the latest ones, there is hardly a boat that has not recently had its structure reinforced. This is surprising, because the current generation favours full carbon constructions instead of sandwich constructions. However, with the performance of the foils, the load has also increased so significantly that some teams have already had to or wanted to rework several times. There are also psychological reasons for this. When several skippers had reinforcements or additional load sensors fitted last winter before the Vendée, others followed suit in order to avoid the risk of early failures, as this would be difficult to communicate to sponsors.
2. the sailing plan
Because the Imoca skippers are only allowed to have eight sails on board, the choice of cloth, its cut and the sizes are extremely important. In the windy Southern Ocean, for example, smaller spars, a fractional zero ("FR0"), jib zero ("J0") or jib top are sufficient for the Vendée. As the boats spend up to four weeks travelling in the high latitudes, a finely graduated arsenal can be crucial. However, this limits the remaining choice. Skippers will therefore use the Transat CIC and the New York - Vendée to validate their sailing plan. Reliability will also be a high priority. Three mainsails alone flew out of the leech during the Retour a la Base in autumn 2023, including Boris Herrmann, who saw his mainsail burst in two horizontally in a jibe virtually on the finish line. This is why more and more designs with a higher fibre content and with seven battens instead of six are gaining ground, which helps to reduce flapping and fluttering - which can never be completely avoided, especially in solo mode.
3. ergonomics
Like Boris, many other skippers have also paid more attention to ergonomics on board. Bucket seats are now widespread, as are better lines of sight forwards, to the side and upwards into the sails. Soloists are also preparing themselves more holistically: not only in the gym, but also with the help of mental trainers. "Talent alone is no longer enough to be successful in the Imoca class," says a scene expert. "You also have to want it more than anything else." And even that is no guarantee of victory - "just an essential prerequisite".
Part 1 of the spectacle begins on Sunday at 1.30 pm. The live broadcast of the Transat-CIC start:
Jochen Rieker
Herausgeber YACHT
