Transat Jacques Vabre - Alexandra Lamy wishes Mirabaud fair winds

by Bernard Schopfer on 30 Oct 2011 With only one day to go until the start of the 2011 Transat Jacques Vabre, French actress Alexandra Lamy is in Le Havre to wish the crew aboard Mirabaud a safe and speedy Atlantic crossing.

Alexandra Lamy, Mirabaud’s ‘godmother’ for this race, visited Dominique Wavre and Michèle Paret this afternoon in Le Havre. The French actress, who had never set foot onboard a yacht before this visit, was enthusiastic about the adventure that the offshore sailors are embarking on and impressed by the spectacle surrounding the event. She praised their courage: 'you need to have a healthy dose of self-confidence to race a yacht and to take on the ocean!' she said, adding: 'I will definitely be on the start line tomorrow – I am very curious to see how it all unfolds and I love meeting people who are passionate about what they do and are able to go beyond their own limits. I have great admiration for Dominique and Michèle.'

The Mirabaud duo thoroughly enjoyed their last few hours on terra firma and enjoyed the unusual experience of meeting Alexandra Lamy: 'We enjoyed our time with her,' said Michèle Paret, but the pressures of the schedule forced them to slip away to finalise their preparations for the transatlantic. This will be Dominique’s 26th crossing and Michèle Paret’s 17th, making it 43 between them.

'The first challenge of this race – aside from the start – will be crossing the English Channel with its busy shipping lanes,' said Dominique. 'The wind is predicted to build gradually to gale force by Monday evening with gusts of up to 50knots on the agenda. We plan to sail around the northern edge of the Azores and our first big tactical decision will be judging when to tack and head South to hook into the north-easterly Trade winds.'

The Trades will give competitors a much smoother and faster ride towards Costa Rica, but they will still have to keep a close look out for the dangerous tropical cyclones that lurk at this time of the year. The final hurdle of the race will be negotiating the Caribbean Sea, which, being less known, can take competitors by surprise. Competitors are expected to start arriving in Puerto Limon from either the 13 November, which would be a record, or from the 18 November, depending on weather conditions.

Antonio Palma, Mirabaud Partner and CEO, will join Alexandra Lamy for the start of the race tomorrow. The French actress, with the support of Mirabaud, is scheduled to star in a film about the Huguenot, Jean Cavalier, who led the protestant uprising in Cevennes in the 18th century. 'For a number of years, Mirabaud has been involved in the sponsorship and patronage of exceptional men and women,' said Antonio Palma. 'Our support for Alexandra Lamy and Dominique Wavre has that in common and I am delighted to be able to share this exciting moment with Alexandra.'

The Transat Jacques Vabre starts tomorrow, Sunday, at 13:02 off Le Havre. The 35 racing yachts will follow a short coastal course for the spectators, before turning towards Costa Rica where they are due to arrive two weeks later.

Mirabaud website