The passage of a violent depression decided the organizers to postpone the start. Unheard of on the transatlantic.
A great first. Mini-Transat, Solitaire du Figaro, Transat Jacques Vabre and even Vendée Globe, all the major French offshore races have had their start postponed one day or another due to bad weather conditions. The only one that had escaped such a postponement remained the Route du rhum, despite its start always fixed for the month of November since its creation in 1978. End of the exception, this Saturday, November 5th. During the weather briefing, Francis Le Goff, the race director, announced the postponement to the 138 runners. While the day before he had confirmed the start for Sunday at 1:02 p.m. despite the weather conditions which were expected to be particularly complicated, he finally changed his tune this Saturday by announcing that the race will only start “next tuesday or wednesday“, just to let this gale that he foresees pass”short but very tonic“.
It was not the weather at the start (20 to 25 knots of westerly wind) that was the problem, but rather the rapid hardening of the conditions just afterwards, with a strong swell, preventing the boats from really moving away from the coast and escape to the south. “The latest 48-hour precise weather reports showed that the conditions were much harsher than initially expected, and this from the first hours of the race, thus specifies in a press release the organizers relying on Météo Consult forecasts. In question, the passage of a very active cold front with average winds of around 40 knots and gusts above 50 knots, accompanied by a very strong swell raised by tropical storm Martin. 7 meters of hollow are expected in the Channel from Monday. It is in particular the timing of the passage of this phenomenon which makes the situation even more complex, leaving no alternative route to escape to the south in safety.».
Rider Safety
And the organizers of the Route du rhum to add : “Many skippers and their routers have expressed their concern over the past 24 hours about the situation which they consider very serious. It is a good decision which aims to optimize the security of the fleet and the best possible conditions for the sporting success of the event, for the sailors and the general public.». Francis Le Goff summed up the affair in one sentence:When the weather is bad, we stay on the ground»…
This decision, which will surely be criticized by earthlings who have never set foot on a boat, was applauded by the main interested parties, the sailors, who know what waves of 6 to 7 meters represent on board a racing boat. “We do not fight against the sea, we deal with it. She is always stronger, she is always right. It’s the right decision, it was not common sense to leave tomorrow“Commented Catherine Chabaud, the MEP back on her red cigar.
“The good choice”
Same observation with Louis Burton, the skipper of the Imoca Bureau Vallée: “ It is a good decision, because a prudent decision. Given the number of boats, it’s the right choice even if we, the Imocas, got it into our heads that we were leaving. You don’t have to be distracted“.
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