Transat Jacques Vabre: Storm in sight, Dalin out, eight Imoca women in the race

One of the 40 Imoca teams has already announced its retirement before the start of the race. "Macif Santé Prévoyance" will cross the start line on Sunday, but will then return to the harbour. The racing team of co-favourite Charlie Dalin announced at the weekend that the 2019 Transat winner would not be able to take part in this edition. Dalin will, however, "in consultation with the medical team, still go to the start with his team-mate Pascal Bidégorry so that he can continue his qualification for the next Vendée Globe".

No explanations, no comments

According to the statement, the team "will be forced to abandon the race as soon as the start line is crossed". The statement went on to say: "In accordance with Dalin's personal wishes and in consideration of the other crews competing in the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre, no statements or comments will be made in the coming days." In other words, the co-favourite does not want to put his personal problems in the spotlight before the fleet is underway.

The Imoca-Transat field has thus lost one of the most successful skippers of recent years for the season finale. Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière ("For People"), Jérémie Beyou and Franck Cammas ("Charal") and Yoann Richomme and Yann Eliès ("Paprec Akréa") remain in the running as the top favourites. Behind them are almost a dozen teams that could also be in contention for a podium place, or at least a top five finish.

The strongest mixed teams in the Imoca fleet

These experienced duos also include Boris Herrmann and Will Harris on "Malizia - Seaexplorer" as well as several strong mixed teams. In particular, the two skippers Sam Davies with Ocean Race winner Jack Bouttell on "Initiatives Cœur" and the two-time Swiss Ocean Race winner Justine Mettraux with Julien Villon on "Teamwork.net" are expected to do well. Experts and fans are also eager to see what Clarisse Crémer and Team Biotherm's young Ocean Race dynamo Alan Roberts will be capable of in their comeback on "L'Occitane En Provence".

Other mixed teams include Munich-born "Macsf" skipper Isabelle Joschke with Pierre Brasseur, "Biotherm" skipper Paul Meilhat with Mariana Lobato, "Medallia" skipper Pip Hare with Nick Bubb, Irina Gracheva, who is well known in Mini circles, alongside "New Europe" skipper Szabolcs Weöres and Sophie Faguet on "Foussier-Mon Courtier Energie" as co-skipper with Sébastien Marsset.

Will a mixed team make it onto the podium?

The big question is whether one of the mixed teams can possibly sail onto or near the podium. The teams led by Sam Davies and Justine Mettraux are the most likely to do so. Both sailors have a huge amount of experience and ambition. Co-pilot Julien Villon said of his skipper Justine Mettraux: "Firstly, she is a great sailor with a lot of experience. She has sailed nothing but Imocas for the past three years, more than 200 days a year. Secondly, she is a person who is happy out at sea, especially on long trips. And she's good when she sails alone or in pairs."

Justine Mettraux's nickname "Juju the machine", which she earned with enormous dedication and perseverance in the Ocean Race for Charlie Enright's victorious 11th Hour Racing team, is less appreciated by Julien Villion. The 36-year-old says: "I don't like the term 'machine' because I don't believe that people on boats can be machines. But 'Juju' is certainly very calm and very stable in her emotions. That's really important and good for me. It's harder to sail with someone whose emotions are constantly going up and down."

Sam is a solid ocean sailor who is not afraid to step on the gas" (Jack Bouttell)

On the bright red "Initiatives Cœur", British skipper and lady of the heart Sam Davies has brought the power of ocean race ace Jack Bouttell on board. The 32-year-old with a British and Australian passport says of Samantha Davies, who lives in France: "With Sam, you could see straight away that she knows her boat very well, is a solid ocean sailor and isn't afraid to step on the gas."

Bouttell continued: "Personally, I have never seen our sport as male or female, but as something for a crew, a team or a skipper. The hardest thing for female sailors is not a question of ability, but of experience. Sam has that experience. And she has a technical background as an engineer, which is great."

High noon on Sunday: the starting gun goes off at 1.05 pm, stormy start ahead

With the ambitious mixed teams, a total of 95 duos will start the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre on Sunday, 30 years after the Transat premiere. The Ultim giants will start at 1.05 pm. The other three fields will follow at 12-minute intervals until 1.41 pm (Class 49). There has been much discussion in recent days about the stormy start that the Atlantic challengers have to reckon with. However, any planned postponements were off the table on Saturday.

However, the opening coastal course has been shortened by removing the Étretat buoy from the opening course to be sailed. The boats will still sail along the coast for a while so that spectators can watch the sailing duos for a while before they disappear into the horizon.

25 knots of wind at the start

According to the latest forecasts, the organisers are expecting 25 knots of wind from the south-southwest for the start phase. That's more than a bit of a challenge. The classic leg towards Étretat, before heading west, would have been a faster one, but would have involved the risk of pushing the fleet towards the coast and close to some of the more dangerous areas, which would have been difficult for the boats to escape in the event of a problem.

"In addition to the wind, there is also the spring tide. At low tide and with a headwind, the area around Étretat would be like a cauldron," explained race director François Le Goff. "I'm not even sure if a buoy would have stayed in place in these conditions," he added. The skippers will find out all the details of the route at their final briefing before the start.

The first Atlantic storm front is already in sight

The toughest weather was last expected on Tuesday or Wednesday, two to three days after the start. The course out of the English Channel to be completed by then will be "lively", according to the race organisers, but the crews should be able to cope with it. On Tuesday or Wednesday, however, a strong depression will hit the fleet from the Atlantic. Everyone has been warned and knows: The North Atlantic will not be co-operative in November and will be extremely challenging, especially for the slower competitors.

Click here for the latest clip of Team Malizia in the countdown to the Transat Jacques Vabre on Sunday - NDR will be broadcasting the start in the original English version in its live stream (ndr.de) from 1pm: