Already winners in 2021, Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière won the 16th edition of the Transat Jacques-Vabre on Sunday in Martinique aboard their latest generation Imoca. Leaving Le Havre on November 7, the tandem at the helm of the sailboat For People crossed the line at 2:02 a.m. local time, 7:02 a.m. in Paris, after 11 days 21 hours and 32 minutes of racing.
After 11 days 21 hours and 32 minutes, they are victorious again! Thomas Ruyant and Morgan Lagravière won the 16th edition of the Transat Jacques-Vabre on Sunday in Martinique aboard their latest generation Imoca. Having left Le Havre on November 7, the 40 Imocas entered, famous Vendée Globe monohulls, were initially due to set off on October 29 to attack the Atlantic, but they remained at the dock for a little over a week due to storms Ciaran and Domingos.
Doubled on the “Coffee Route”
For the northern sailor Thomas Ruyant, 42, this victory is synonymous with a double on the “Route du Café”, and also an unprecedented treble in offshore racing: he won the Transat Jacques-Vabre 2021, with Lagravière, and the Route du Rhum solo in 2022. A discreet and charismatic sailor, Ruyant achieved this new feat aboard an 18-meter monohull launched last March and designed for the Vendée Globe 2024, his main objective after finishing 6th during the last edition.
Behind Ruyant and Lagravière, second place in Imoca was to be played out between For The Planet and Paprec Arkéa, expected in a few hours in the bay of Fort-de-France. The Maxi Banque Populaire The Class 40s (12 meter monohull), the last class of boats entered, should cross the line mid-next week in Martinique.