Top World Ocean Masters Take Over Transat Jacques Vabre

Multi 50 FenetreA - Cardinal Team speeding the 2013 Jacques Vabre Transatlantic

Ocean Sail Masters and World Class Skippers are gathered at Le Harve France port to face the start of the Transatlantic Race Jacques Vabre set to cross the Atlantic. The start date countdown is on...October 25 approaches. Teams, Organizers, Press and the logistics are ready...and so is the Atlantic Ocean...ready to prove it is the main challenger of the race. 

Four classes of boat will compete at the Jacques Vabre now it its 12th Edition. Two multihull divisions will take part in the race, the Ultime Trimaran Ocean Giants and the Multi 50s known for their impeccable speed. To complete the race divisions of Class 40 small monohulls and the world known IMOCA class are in. 14 teams are signed up and ready for Class 40s. 

The largest turn up is for the IMOCAs with 20 confirmed Teams including some well for having recently participated in the  Barcelona World Race around the World. Other Teams are gaining ground in the IMOCA World Tour with new design innovations made particularly in sail foils.  

Multihull Teams -as always have a smaller turn up but a bigger adrenaline rush. 4 Teams are pumped for the Ultimes and 4 Multihulls 50s are waiting at the race start line. 

The Transatlantic Race has now over half a million constant fans which follow the race closely. This year's edition is expected to draw a bigger crowd. 

Entries are closed for the 12 Edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre. 84 professional sailors will take on the 5.4 thousand miles of open Atlantic Ocean.

On October 6 Transat Jacques Vabre reported that some teams are still being qualified. Recently launched new boats and teams sailing under new teams or new combinations must make a qualifying passage before they muster into the Race. 

Organizers set a qualifying course to test those wishing to qualify. From 600 to 1 thousand miles of rough waters are the final step. Organizers assured that the qualifying sets the bar high but also ensures that the race is as safe as possible. The Transatlantic Jacques Vabre is not for any sailor, new teams but prove to be worthy of the event. 

Most of the forty-two boats entered in the four classes (Class 40, Multi50, IMOCA, Ultimate) have already completed their qualifying passage or were accepted based on their experience on their boat (Route du Rhum, the Vendée Globe or the like). And to date, 36 teams are qualified. So it is mainly the new boats which have yet to make a qualification. 

Who wants in? Catherine Pourre and Antoine Carpentier and their new Manuard, Eärendil for a spot in the Class 40 Division, Valentin Lemarchand and Arthur Hubert (Espoir Compétition SNBSM) and Nicolas Boidevezi and Ryan Breymaier (Adopteunskipper.net) for a spot in IMOCA class and these Teams are not alone for the qualification race. 

“Even a top seeded duo like Jean-Pierre Dick and Fabien Delahaye-(St Michel-Virbac) must qualify on their brand new IMOCA. So it’s the case also for Thierry Bouchard and Oliver Krauss (Ciela Village) race regulars who have to qualify because they have never taken part in a Multi50 ... And also the Ultime of Yves Le Blévec and Jean-Baptiste Le Vaillant who are sailing the new Actual (formerly Sodebo),” Jacques Vabre organizers explained. 

“The 2013 edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre is a great memory for me; to finish a winner in Itajai and have such a great atmosphere was really unique! I am looking forward to the 2015 edition.” Sébastien Rogues (GDF SUEZ) 2013 Transat Jacques Vabre Class 40 Winner stated.

“The Transat Jacques Vabre is one of the key events for the IMOCA class. I was lucky enough to win the last edition with Jean Le Cam. These are incredible memories...I will be at the start of the next Transat Jacques Vabre for sure. I am determined to defend my title!” Vincent Riou (PRB), the 2013 Transat Jacques Vabre IMOCA Class Winner warned.

New designs and innovations will not only compete against each other in the IMOCA class. The latest Trimaran Ultime Macif mastered by François Gabart and Pascal Bidégorry will perform against the classics Sobedo Ex Geronimo Team and Prince de Bretagne.

Class Ultime and Multi50s are speed-sail-boats which fly over water. The Ultime Trimaran was described by Jacques Vabre as a Giant. Organizers estimated that it will take the Ultimes only 11 days and 5 hours to route the ocean. 

Multis 50s -smaller than Ultimes but just as capable of picking up tremendous speed in open wind waters are among the favorite for fans around the world. The Multis 50s Division will see new prototypes specially designed for recent transatlantic races, such as Arkema. 

IMOCA Division innovations this year is all about foils. Four brand new prototypes will be testing these appendages out on the water in this twelfth Transat Jacques Vabre. They should in theory offer a clear advantage with the wind on the beam, but seem to perform less well in light conditions. Some of the older prototypes may modify their configuration, while the new boats may decide to go back to a more traditional set-up.

IMOCA 60s Teams are closing 2015 with spectacular performances. Just days after completing the Jacques Vabre IMOCA 60s teams will continue the World Tour and World Championship closing the year with the a second Transatlantic Race, this time in singlehanded format. The final race for IMOCA sailors will see them go from Caribbean calm waters of Saint Barts to Port la Foret in Brittany starting December 6. 2016 IMOCA events are already giving people something to talk about. 

The achievements of Skippers racing the Jacques Vabre are more than impressive. Winners of Route du Rhum, leaders of Rolex Fastnet Race and Artemis Challenge, Winners of the Vendee Globe, Barcelona World Race Racers and titles in other international races of the highest prestige. Some of the sailors taking in on the Race have sailed around the world not once but 7 times and done so solo, on multihull and monohulls. They have gone 9 times through Cape Horn´s gate and crossed the Atlantic more than 15 times. Record holders, victory masters, wind and water strategists have set their efficient commitment to Jacques Vabre. The glory awaits. So does the Atlantic Ocean, its winds, waters, systems, currents, tricks, weather and surprises.

“A dream setting: the seas of the Atlantic. Natural light: the sun and the moon. Exhilarating conditions: wind, waves slamming against the carbon hulls, the soundtrack of ropes screaming on on winches,” Jacques Vabre turned poetic to explain the unexplainable. The 42 duos are lined up to go. 

Among them are stars like Michel Desjoyeaux, François Gabart, Kito de Pavant, Marc Guillemot, Armel Le Cléac'h, Jean-Pierre Dick, Vincent Riou, Yann Elies, Sébastien Josse, Alex Thomson, Yvan Bourgnon ... or young rookies with sharp teeth and big ambitions in the form of Morgan Lagravière Paul Meilhat Jack Bouttel, Charlie Dalin, Alan Roura ... Not to mention the great regulars of the event.