A Transat Jacques Vabre full of promise

by Transat Jacques Vabre on 20 Sep 2017 The calibre of the 39 crew and 78 sailors registered for the 13th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre promises a high-flying competition, with a race of rare quality and depth.

From Le Havre to Salvador de Bahia in Brazil, the four classes of offshore sailing boats (Class40, Multi 50, IMOCA60 and Ultime) will compete over a 4,350-mile course full of hurdles, squalls and excitement. Today, at the Pavillon Champs-Elysées in Paris, they were all present, eager to head out to sea, boots and oilies ready to cross the start line on Sunday, November 5.

Last stop, everybody onboard! This Wednesday, September 20, the great offshore racing family came together at the Pavilion Champs-Elysées for the press conference of the 13th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre. It was a family reunion hosted by Xavier Mitjavila, President of JDE France, and Luc Lemonnier, Mayor of Le Havre, who immediately invited the competitors and the general public to come and celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Normandy city in the grandest fashion.

October 27, the opening day of the 13th edition of this Route du Café, marks the culmination of several weeks of festivities in Le Havre, which saw the birth of the maritime and commercial routes to Brazil. And it will be around the Bassin Paul Vatine in Le Havre that the atmosphere will most passionate, with ten days of festivities and a warm welcome that the competitors and the general public always greatly appreciate.

The countdown has begun
There will be a keen edge to this Transat Jacques Vabre. From the abundance of Class40 duos (17), to the IMOCA60 sailors in a hurry to get back out to sea, with some exciting marriages of crews, all with different outlooks (13 crews), to the Multi 50, where they are champing at the bit to show what the foils can do (six crews), to the three Ultime competitors, for whom this racetrack is the beginning a round the world voyage. From the suits in Paris to the boots on the pontoons of Le Havre, the hunger and smiles will be evident on faces of the skippers, who have started the countdown to the Transat jacques Vabre. D - 46 before the start.