departures scheduled for November 6 from Lorient and November 7 from Le Havre

With storms Ciaran and Domingos over, a favorable weather window is emerging for the double-handed Transat Jacques-Vabre fleet, which connects Le Havre (Seine-Maritime) to Fort-de-France (Martinique). While the 5 Ultims, 32 meter trimarans fast enough to get ahead of depressions, left on the initially planned date of October 29 and are progressing without damage, the three other classes of sailboats entered will successively follow in their footsteps, Monday 6 and Tuesday November 7.

The Ocean Fifty (15-meter trimarans) and the forty Class 40s (12-meter monohulls) – half of the fleet of 95 boats entered – left Le Havre on October 29, but have been stopping in Lorient since the start of the week by decision of the race director, will leave respectively at 10:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on Monday. The 40 Imoca, 18 meter monohulls which have been pawing at the dock in Le Havre for almost a week, will finally set off from the start of the event on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m.

Starting Monday, “ the sea will have clearly calmed down, in the Bay of Biscay as in the English Channelexplained Christian Dumard, race meteorologist, Saturday November 4, at midday, during a press point. “ The general westerly circulation continues, but departures will be given in manageable conditions. A new front sweeps the Atlantic coasts from Wednesday but it is accompanied by an average wind of 30 to 35 knots [55 à 65 kilomètres à l’heure] significantly less violent than in previous episodes “, he detailed.

Recalibrated routes and timings

While the organization had concocted different courses depending on the boat classes, in order to standardize the racing time and facilitate a grouped arrival of the first of each, around November 12, the dire weather conditions forced it to adapt without sacrificing the integrity of the competitors or the show. “ We calibrated the [nouveaux] route and timings of each person according to weather windows to prioritize the safety of sailors and boats (…). At the same time, we have done everything we can to ensure that the departure of this superb fleet of 40 Imoca boats benefits from the best possible media coverage”, explained the co-race director, Gildas Gautier.

Thus, for this second round between Lorient and Fort-de-France, the Ocean Fifty will have to leave the island of Sal (Cape Verde) to starboard, a course of 4,320 miles (8,000 kilometers) which will force the duos to head further south as soon as you leave the Bay of Biscay. Their speed should allow them to escape the expected front on the near Atlantic during the day of Wednesday November 8. Their arrival in Martinique is scheduled for around November 18.

For their part, the Class 40s will begin this second stage with 3,500 miles (nearly 6,500 kilometers) ahead of their bows and the obligation to leave the island of Santa Maria (Azores) to starboard: a more direct route, which will force them to cross the front, “ but unlike Ciaran, the winds are less strong and the possibilities of dodging more numerous, including in the Bay of Biscay », according to Christian Dumard. Their arrival is expected around November 22.

In Le Havre, the Imocas will leave the Paul-Vatine basin on November 7, at 4 a.m., in order to be able to pass through, without incident and in full, the lock which will open an hour later and for one hour only. Their journey of 3,750 miles (nearly 7,000 kilometers) involves – like that of the Class 40s – leaving the island of Santa Maria to starboard, before reaching Martinique around November 17. “ They will hit the front at the end of the Channel on Tuesday evening and Wednesday night with 35 knots from the south/southwest. [65 kilomètres à l’heure] a sea not exceeding 4 meters », predicts Christian Dumard.

The Ultims continue their journey

While in Le Havre, as in Lorient, the technical teams are once again on a war footing, the five Ultims (32 meter trimarans) entered, leaving as planned on October 29 from Le Havre, continue their descent from the Atlantic to an estimated arrival “around November 12 in the evening or November 13 in the morning »according to the organizers.

“ Nothing is done yetestimates the race director, Francis Le Goff. It is a fairly compact fleet which presents itself towards Sao Pedro and Sao Paulo [archipel brésilien de l’Atlantique sud] before tacking a little to reach Ascension Island, the next course mark ».

According to the 2 p.m. tally, Saturday November 4, Maxi Banque Populaire by Armel Le Cléac’h and Sébastien Josse were ahead of Maxi Edmond de Rothschild of Charles Caudrelier and Erwan Israel of nearly 88 miles (nearly 142 kilometers), and SVR-Lazartigue by François Gabart and Tom Laperche, of nearly 138 miles (222 kilometers).