Transat Jacques Vabre: The wait is over - three starts at the beginning of the week
Tatjana Pokorny
· 04.11.2023
Coordinating the outstanding starts in the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre was and still is a huge challenge for the race organisers. However, it now appears that windows have been found that could suit the three fleets in the queue. Following consultations with weather experts and the classes, the new start dates have been published.
Class 40 and Ocean Fifty to start on Monday, Imocas on Tuesday
The plan is to send the Ocean Fifty and Class 40 classes back into the race on 6 November after they have already completed their sprint from Le Havre to Lorient. The starts are scheduled for 10.30 am (Ocean Fifty) and 10.45 am (Class 40). Weather briefings for the crews will take place the day before at 10 a.m. in the auditorium of the "City de la Voile" in Lorient.
Based on the weather forecasts to date, the race management is planning a course for the Class 40 via the Azores island of Santa Maria to Martinique. The course of the Ocean Fifties to the destination harbour Fort-de-France on Martinique is to pass the island of Sal. The instructions for these two classes also state that all boats should be ready to race by Sunday (5 November) at the latest. In addition, there is an instruction for Class 40 not to carry more than 175 litres of drinking water on board.
The new route is probably less optimal for us" (Melwin Fink)
"We're really looking forward to the restart," said "Sign for Com" skipper Melwin Fink in Lorient on Saturday, highly motivated. Lennart Burke and Melwin Fink are preparing in La Base for the 3,500 nautical mile leg across the Atlantic. "The weather is promising!" says Melwin Fink. The newly set course puts a slight damper on the anticipation of the young German professionals.
Melwin Fink explains: "The turning mark at the Azores is a bit of a headache. The downwind part of the race will probably be significantly lower as a result. Pogo had placed a lot of emphasis on the downwind performance of its boats and also advertised this. They said they could win the Transat. The new route is probably less ideal for us." Burke and Fink sail a Pogo 40 S4 from 2022.
Live broadcasts planned
A start has been announced for the Imocas in Le Havre on 7 November (Tuesday) at 9.30 am. There will probably be a live broadcast - as there will be from Lorient on Monday. Final confirmation of these new plans has been announced by the race organisers for the weekend.
Boris Herrmann is already on his way back to Le Havre and said: "I spent the week in Hamburg with my family. Our ship survived the storm in Le Havre, where winds of up to 60 knots were measured, well guarded and undamaged by two of our best crew members. We expect to leave on Tuesday. We will now sail on a direct route to Martinique, no longer via the passage of the island off Brazil. I'm very happy about that too. The direct route suits me better."
We did not suffer any major economic damage as a result of the postponement. We are positive that safety took centre stage" (Boris Herrmann)
Regarding the postponement of the start last Sunday (29 October), the long week of waiting and the decision to reschedule the start, Boris Herrmann said: "I am unbiased about the individual discussions that took place between the organisers and the Imoca class and perhaps one or two other players. It doesn't affect us much overall."
Boris Herrmann explains: "We didn't suffer any major economic damage as a result of the postponement. Of course, it costs a little more if you have to book new hotels or new travel connections, but that is limited for us. We are positive in the sense that safety was clearly at the forefront here and unfortunately the decision to postpone the race was made at very short notice, but at least it was a decision."
After two stressful weeks, it certainly didn't do us any harm to have another day or two to take a deep breath and replenish our energy reserves. Now we're getting back into full concentration mode" (Andreas Baden)
Imoca sailor Andreas Baden from Kiel reported from Le Havre on Saturday afternoon: "I slept in again today, checked the boat and then did a few lengths in the swimming pool right next to the boat. Now I'm going to fire up the computer again and get to grips with the weather and routings. We'll also hold another video conference with the organisers this afternoon."
Commenting on his crew's further preparations for "Nexans - Art & Fenêtres", Andreas Baden said: "Fabrice and I exchange ideas about the routings and each other's personal condition. It's fair to say that after two stressful weeks, it certainly didn't hurt either of us to have a day or two to take a deep breath and replenish our energy reserves. But now we're getting back into full concentration mode for what lies ahead."
The sea will have calmed down considerably" (Christian Dumard)
Transat meteorologist Christian Dumard outlined the upcoming scenario: "The sea will have calmed down considerably, both in the Bay of Biscay and in the English Channel. The general westerly current will persist, but launches will take place under feasible conditions. A new front will sweep across the Atlantic coast from Wednesday, but it will be accompanied by an average wind of 30 to 35 knots, much less violent than in previous episodes."
Transat jury hands out time penalties
During the waiting time for the boats and the stormy but mild encounter between the fleets in Lorient and Le Havre with the hurricane Ciarán, the jury of the Transat Jacques Vabre made some decisions. The Class 40 teams Qwanza and P-Sotraplant-TRS were given a 90-minute time penalty for missing a gate at the start of the race. The L'Envol-Kermarrec team received a two-hour time penalty after driving through a prohibited zone.
A three-hour penalty was imposed on "Martinique Tchalian" because the crew had broken the seal on the propeller shaft on their course into the repair harbour. The jury also investigated the two Class 40 collisions during the start phase, which were the subject of protests from several parties.
Compensation for "Seafrigo-Sogestran"
The crew on "Curium Life Forward" with Marc Lepesqueux and Renaud Dehareng received a penalty for a breach of rule 14 (contact must be avoided). The duo will have to add twelve hours to their final race time. "Movember", whose sailors Bertrand Guillonneau and Kito de Pavant have already retired from the race, were penalised for the same reason as "Curium Life Forward" for their mistake that caused a collision.
In the case of "Seafrigo-Sogestran" versus "Café Joyeux", the latter was penalised for a breach of rules 13 and 14 and must also add twelve hours to their race time. Not everyone involved is happy with the jury's decisions. Team Curium has requested a reopening of the proceedings.
Protest against the stage winners rejected
On the "credit side", the damage suffered by the "Sogestran-Seafrigo" was recognised. The team worked hard to be back at the start of the second leg of the Transat and was initially put back in the field in accordance with the sailing instructions. Because "Sogestran-Seafrigo" was unable to finish the opening leg, the team's Transat account will include a race time equal to that of the last boat to finish plus six hours. The jury will inform the team and the fleet about the calculation and amount before the start of the second leg.
Another protest by the "Legallais" crew with Fabien Delahaye and Corentin Douguet against the stage winner "Alla Grande Pirelli" with Abrogio Beccaria and Nicolas Andrieu was rejected as invalid. All three teams of the Class 40 yachts under repair, "Crédit Mutuel", Sogestrans-Seafrigo" and "Dékuple", have announced that they will be ready in time for the restart.
Target forecasts for all four Transat classes
With the scheduling of the starts of the three waiting classes, the organisers also indicated the possible finish times for the arrival in Fort-de-France: The long-sailing Ultims are expected there between 12 and 13 November, the Imocas around 17 November, the Ocean Fifties should follow around 18 November and the Class 40 duos on 22 November.
