15 Class40s expected for the Défi Atlantique Guadeloupe / Horta / La Rochelle 2023

Défi Atlantique 2019 © grand-pavois.com

Make a note in your diaries that the second edition of the Défi Atlantique reserved for Class40 crews is proposed by Grand Pavois Organisation with the support of Class40 and the Region of Guadeloupe and will depart from Pointe-à-Pitre on its way to La Rochelle (France) via a stopover in Horta (Azores - Portugal).

This return Atlantic race listed officially on the Class40 and the French Sailing Federation programme allows competitors from the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe event to race the return journey with a minimum of two crew members on-board. Departure on Saturday 1 April off the coast of Pointe-à-Pitre.

15 Class40 vessels expected at the starting line!

This second edition of the Défi Atlantique Guadeloupe / Horta / La Rochelle offers an exceptional line-up of Class40s! 12 Class40 vessels have already confirmed their presence and some boats are still waiting to register, therefore, a total 15 Class40s are expected to set sail on Saturday 1 April. An excellent line-up that promises a great battle on the water since many new boats have signed up.

We can already confirm the presence of:

• Ambriogio Beccaria (Allagrande Pirelli), runner-up in the last Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe aboard the recent No.181 designed by Gianluca Guelfi and launched in 2022,
• Alberto Bonna (IBSA) 8th in the last Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe aboard the brand-new No.186, the latest generation Mach 5 designed by Sam Manuard,
• Axel Tréhin (Project Rescue Ocean), winner of the Normandy Channel Race 2021 on the No.162 Max 40 by the architect David Raison,
• Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel) aboard No.158, winner of the Normandy Channel Race in 2022, the Transat Jacques Vabre in 2019 and record holder for distance covered in 24 hours on a Class40, with 428.53 miles at an average speed of 17.86 knots,
• Marc Lepesqueux (Curium Life Forward) on the brand-new No. 187. Marc Lombard's Lift V2 plan launched in 2022. Marc came 20th in the last Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe in his new Class40,
• Stan Thuret (Everial) on No. 177, a Pogo S4 designed by Guillaume Verdier, 4th in the 2019 Atlantic Challenge aboard Campagne de France,
• Jules Bonnier (Nestenn - Entrepreneurs pour la Planète) aboard No.153, a Mach 40.3 designed by Sam Manuard, 3rd in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2021, 7th in the Class40 World Championship 2022,
• Brian Thompson (Tquila) aboard No. 137, a Mach 40 by Sam Manuard. Brian's incredible achievements include a victory in the Volvo Ocean Race in 2006, the round the world record on Banque Populaire V in 2012, and a 5th place finish in the 2008-2009 Vendée Globe.
• Olivier Delrieu (Vicitan) aboard No.134, a Mach 40 designed by Sam Manuard, 3rd in the Rorc Caribbean 600 2022,
• Jean-Baptiste Daramy (Screb) aboard No.123, a Proto 40 based on plans by Botin Partners,
• Mathieu Claveau (Pour la forêt) aboard No.89, an Akilaria signed by Marc Lombard, 2nd in the Corsica Med 2022,
• Franz Bouvet (Yoda) aboard No. 65 with an incredible number of participations in various events such as La Route du Rhum Destination Guadeloupe, Transat Jacques Vabre, Drhream Cup, Armen Race, Les Sables - Horta, Rolex Fastnet Race, not to mention the 2019 Atlantic Challenge.
• Kieran Le Borgne (Navaleo) aboard No.88, a Tyker 40 Evolution 2, with which he participated in the last Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe (24th), the Drhream Cup, La 40 Malouine Lamotte, the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre and the Normandy Channel Race.

Guadeloupe, the starting point for this second consecutive edition of this transatlantic race.

For the second time, the Guadeloupe Region will be the leading partner for this new edition of the Défi Atlantique.

Note: The Atlantic Challenge from Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe is the only return Transatlantic race to the European continent from the West Indies.

With a many Class40s on the other side of the Atlantic since the end of the year, Grand Pavois Organisation, the Guadeloupe Region and its local partners, the municipality of Pointe-à-Pitre, the Communauté d'Agglomération Cap Excellence and Guadeloupe Port Caraïbes are offering storage solutions on land or in-water for the Class40s registered for the Défi Atlantique. The aim is to allow those who want to sail the Caribbean circuit, participate in the RORC Caribbean 600 or organise public relation operations in the sunshine to leave their Class40 vessels in the water or take them out so that they can be stored on land in the best possible conditions before the start of this Atlantic return race. Further technical information from Grand Pavois Organisation.

Défi Atlantique 2019 - photo © grand-pavois.com

The record to beat? A look back at the 2019 event

Atlantic return race every four years, the 2019 Défi Atlantique Guadeloupe / Horta / La Rochelle was won, with a combined time over the two legs, by Aymeric Chappellier (Aïna Enfance et Avenir) in 15 days, 3 hours, 42 minutes and 48 seconds, at an average speed of 9.67 knots This will be the reference time to beat for the 2022 edition!

It was Aymeric Chappellier who won the first leg in 2019 between Pointe-à-Pitre and Horta in 9 days, 15 hours, 46 minutes and 19 seconds at an average speed of 9.60 knots. The blue monohull was followed by Earendil skippered by Catherine Pourre, and then Kito de Pavant on Made in Midi. Note that on this first stage, Loïck Fequet suffered damage on Tibco and rerouted to Bermuda to repair a rudder blade before setting off again, and Luke Berry aboard Lamotte - Module Création demasted the day after setting sail, 180 miles off the coast of Guadeloupe.

The departure of the second stage between Horta (Azores) and La Rochelle was on Monday 8 April for the 1,300 remaining miles. Although Earendil crossed the finish line for this second stage in the lead, Catherine Pourre's Class 40 was unable to make up for her 10 hour delay on arrival in the Azores behind Aymeric Chappellier's Aïna Enfance et Avenir, who was crowned champion of this first edition of the Défi Atlantique. Kito de Pavant on Made in Midi finished 3rd for the stage and 3rd overall.