Transat Jacques Vabre: Boris Herrmann: "Would have liked to do the endurance test with Will"
There has never been such a starting decision in the 30-year history of the Transat Jacques Vabre: Four classes, three different solutions! That was the decision made by the race organisers of the Transat classic on Sunday morning. While the Ocean Fifty and Class 40 classes will be sent to Lorient for a sprint at midday on Sunday to wait out the stormy conditions there, the Ultim giants will be sent on time for the race from Le Havre to Martinique.
It won't do us any good if we sail through there as heroes and half the fleet breaks off" (Boris Herrmann)
However, the Imocas will remain in the Bassin Paul Vatine in Le Havre. The race organisers will announce at a later date when they will be able to start the transatlantic classic. Due to the stormy conditions, sailors and experts assume that the waiting time could be several days to a week.
Boris Herrmann said on Sunday morning about the postponement of the start for the Imocas: "You can never criticise a decision for safety. In that respect: good decision." However, the 42-year-old from Hamburg would have been ready: "I would have liked to have done this endurance test together with Will. Our storm jib is completely battered. We are ready. Our boat has been tested and is probably the most stable ship in the fleet. That makes us a little wistful. But of course it won't do us any good if we sail through it as heroes and half the fleet breaks off. Then our sport would fall into disrepute, and that wouldn't be good."
Even A Coruña would no longer have been safe as a port of refuge
Originally, the race organisers and the sailors hoped to pass Cape Finisterre by midday on Thursday and before the worst of the weather. "That was the timing, we had to make it. It came down to a few hours. Then we would have just made it before this big storm. Knowing full well, of course, that the slower Imocas without foils would probably have been significantly behind on this section with a high reaching percentage and would have been caught in this big storm," explains Boris Herrmann.
The race organisers reasoned that A Coruña would no longer have been safe as a port of refuge in the heavy swell. "There are 40 boats and, in case of doubt, it is the right decision not to send them out there," says Boris Herrmann. Kiel-based "Nexans - Art & Fenêtres" co-skipper Andreas Baden also believes the decision was a sensible one. Why not send them to the sprint to Lorient as well? "There wouldn't have been room for the Imocas in Lorient. You've already seen at the Défi Azimut how full it can get. So we will stay in Le Havre."
Part of the Imoca fleet still has to qualify for the Vendée Globe via the return race 'Retour à la Base'. It would be very unfortunate if half of the fleet had already broken up on the outward journey within the first three days" (Andreas Baden)
This forced extension of the stay in Le Havre could last longer. "If you look at the weather, it could be a few days," says Andreas Baden. He also points out another problem that has played a role in the decisions of the race committee and the considerations in the Imoca class: "Part of the Imoca fleet still has to qualify for the Vendée Globe via the 'Retour à la Base' return regatta. It would be very unfortunate if half of the fleet were to break up within the first three days on the outward journey."
Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink on their Class 40 "Sign for Com" are in demand today. Like the Ocean Fiftys, the Class 40 field will complete a sprint to Lorient, which is now part of the two-part race. Both classes will then sit out the stormy days in Lorient. There, repairs can be carried out and equipment brought on board should there be any breakages on the way from Le Havre to Lorient.
There will be a nice sprint to Lorient" (Melwin Fink)
Melwin Fink commented on the decision with mixed feelings: "The stopover is a bit of a bummer for morale. We would have liked to have sailed non-stop to the Caribbean by now. But of course it's a very sensible decision, and we're also a bit glad about it because the weather in the middle of the week looks pretty heavy for the Bay of Biscay. You don't necessarily want to be in there. So it's a good decision. We're quite happy with it, even though we weren't expecting anything like this."
In sporting terms, Melwin Fink and Lennart Burke have reacted to the reorganisation of the race. Melwin Fink explains: "We've changed our plans a bit and cleared out the boat again. What doesn't need to be on board is now out. Then we can get going! There will be a nice sprint to Lorient."
