Please select your home edition
Edition
North Sails Loft 57 Podcast

Transat Jacques Vabre Day 10: The rich getting richer as an easy Doldrums awaits

by Soazig Guého 5 Nov 2019 16:29 PST 5 November 2019

The route to victory for Charal and the IMOCA podium in the 14th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre may have just become lot simpler according to the official race meteorologist. Richard Silvani, from Météo France said that contrary the forecast a few days ago, the Doldrums are not looking so active now. Charal should enter the zone most feared by sailors tonight. The two Mulit50s leading the fleet are already in there.

"The Doldrums are not very active because on each side of it the trade winds are well established," was the analysis from Silvani, the official race meteorologist. "In fact, the two anticyclones that are positioned on either side of the equator, at the Azores in the northern hemisphere and St. Helena in the southern hemisphere, favour an established synoptic wind."

Doubtless that will make more sense to some than others and not all skippers will quite the same when they emerge from the notorious Doldrums. Many are and varied are the sages who have predicted a simple passage of the Doldrums, so unsurprisingly Silvani gave himself some insurance: The Doldrums are still tricky!" Silvani added.

Doubtless that will make more sense to some than others and not all skippers will quite the same when they emerge from the notorious Doldrums. There seems to be a little wind in there, between 6 and 8 knots, but the squalls are active and the clouds are there. "The Doldrums are still tricky!" Silvani added.

IMOCA

For the IMOCA, that are beginning to see the sky thicken, the trade winds are getting weaker. Charal has begun its deceleration, but Apivia and Primonial, the third Multi50, were still clocking up nearly 19 knots this afternoon. Charal had lengthened its lead as the field stretched overnight with Apivia escaping from America's 11th Hour Racing.

The gaps will start coming down now but the picture will not be clear until all the boats are out of the Doldrums. At the 15:00 UTC ranking, Charal, despite slowing down first still had comfortably the best 24-hour run of the lead group (407 miles). It led by 84 miles from Apivia and 150 miles from 11th Hour Racing.

The incredible resurrection of Thomas Ruyant and Antoine Koch on Advens for Cybersecurity has brought them back into a group of five IMOCA positioned to the west of the southern islands of the Cape Verde archipelago.

More than 1,000 miles behind Charal, Ariel II, skippered by the Finnish/Irish crew of Huusela / Fergusson, is doing the best it can with a very damaged mainsail since the Bay of Biscay.

Hugo Boss

After cutting their damaged keel from the boat yesterday, Hugo Boss are making for the Cape Verde islands, about 850 almost due south of where they are now.

Class40

At the front, Crédit Mutuel (Lipinski / Hardy) are continuing to extend their lead in a Charal like way. Britain's Sam Goodchild on Leyton and Aïna Enfance & Avenir. are holding on, but in the more consistent trade winds they are enjoying than at the front of the IMOCA.

At the 15:00 UTC ranking, Crédit Mutuel, had made 381 miles in the last 24 hours, 21 more than Leyton and 31 more than Aïna Enfance & Avenir. They trail Crédit Mutuel by 51 and 69 miles respectively, but here is a more defined lead group of three boats now, with Banque Du Léman in fourth, 161 miles off the lead.

This long port tack south is not about great strategy, but rather positioning and especially maximum speed.

Aymeric Chappellier on Aïna Enfance & Avenir reported from the northern Cape Verde islands that they were getting sustained breeze of up to 30 knots at midday UTC: "It's a little humid, and we're getting a little wet. We have 30 knots and big sea."

Find out more at www.transatjacquesvabre.org/en

Related Articles

2025 Transat Café L'OR is packed with surprises
73 boats sailed by 146 co-skippers will set sail on October 26th 73 boats sailed by 146 co-skippers will set sail on October 26th on the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandy. Posted on 4 Jul
A more sustainable Transat Café L'OR edition
The race aims to be innovative and a driving force for the transitions taking place in ocean racing For the upcoming 17th edition, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie is stepping up its commitments to take better care of the earth's climate and the natural, living planet. Posted on 7 Jun
Transat Café L'OR Cap Pour Elles 2025 routes
Four classes, four courses, four winning duos means four times the emotion On Sunday October 26, the ULTIM, the Ocean Fifty, the IMOCA, and the Class40 divisions will start their TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie at 15 minutes intervals. Posted on 13 Feb
Transat Café L'OR Cap Pour Elles 2025
Applications are now open Attention female sailors who wish to participate in their first competitive transatlantic race, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie is renewing its Cap pour Elles initiative. Posted on 24 Jan
Transat Jacques Vabre changes its name
Becoming the Transat Café L'OR le Havre Normandie On Sunday 26th October 2025, the most legendary double-handed transatlantic race will start with a new name: the TRANSAT CAFÉ L'OR Le Havre Normandie. Posted on 5 Dec 2024
4 fleets, 4 courses, 4 winners, 6 starts
77 boats finish Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre At the start in Le Havre in late October, a series of powerful low-pressure systems were sweeping across the Atlantic. Posted on 6 Dec 2023
Pamela Lee and Tiphaine Ragueneau complete the TJV
To take 29th place in Class 40 fleet Pam Lee and Tiphaine Ragueneau, the Irish-French duo, who raced the Atlantic under the Cap pour elles initiative, crossed the finish line of the Transat Jacques Vabre Posted on 27 Nov 2023
Italian boats dominate TJV Class Class40 podium
lberto Bona and Pablo Santurde del Arco cross the finish line in fourth place With Alberto Bona and Pablo Santurde del Arco on the Italian Mach 40.5 IBSA crossing the Class 40 finish line in fourth place on the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre this afternoon. Posted on 24 Nov 2023
Alla Grande Pirelli take first place in Class40
Ambrogio Beccaria and Nicolas Andrieu win the Transat Jacques Vabre Italian skipper Ambrogio Beccaria and French co-skipper Nicolas Andrieu sailing the all Italian Musa 40 Alla Grande PIRELLI took first place in the highly competitive Class40 race on the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre Posted on 23 Nov 2023
16th Transat Jacques Vabre update
Britons Pip Hare and Nick Bubb on Medallia finish 12th IMOCA British duo Pip Hare and Nick Bubb on Medallia crossed the finish line of the 16th Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre at 22.12.56hrs this Monday evening off Fort de France, Martinique to secure 12th place in the IMOCA fleet. Posted on 22 Nov 2023
RS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERSelden 2020 - FOOTERBarton Marine Pipe Glands