On the Class40 side, there's one constant at every major race: there's suspense at every level. Even if there are fewer of them than usual, everyone's there apart from two or three of the big names,” points out the Race Director. The fact that we're arriving in New York and offering a transatlantic race that's different from the others (via the North Atlantic) has attracted the best in Class40 racing. “There are 13 boats at the start, including 11 latest-generation scows,” recalls Guillaume Pirouelle, skipper of Class40 Sogestran-Seafrigo, who had to withdraw from The Transat CIC, his boat having been struck by lightning in early March during a delivery trip back from the West Indies. For him, the race promises to be “very committed” with a “very close match”, where “technical glitches can quickly become problematic”.
According to Guillaume, “eight or nine boats can claim victory”. The two Italians Ambrogio Beccaria (Alla Grande - Pirelli), winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre, and Alberto Bona (IBSA), winner of last year's Class40 championship, are the favorites. But they're not the only ones. While his new Class40 (n°202) will be presented this Friday, Ian Lipinski will set sail with n°158. “He's one of the people who knows his boat best, because it's one of his first scows,” says Guillaume. Fabien Delahaye hopes to shine in his 2nd year with LEGALLAIS, as does Nicolas d'Estais, to celebrate the opening of a CAFÉ JOYEUX (his sponsor) in New York.
Axel Tréhin (Project Rescue Ocean), a regular in the places of honor, Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio), the only woman involved, and Quentin Le Nabour (Bleu Blanc Planète Location), who recently launched his Mach6, will also have something to say. Vincent Riou (Pierreval - Fondation GoodPlanet) will also have his say. At 52 years of age, he's taking on a new challenge and isn't exactly one to enter a race unambitiously. It's hard to pile on so much suspense for this race “which has left such a mark on history”.
The two sharp Class40s led by Goulven Marie and Anatole Facon will also have their cards to play on this course... the answer in two weeks's time!
Source : The Transat CIC
Partager sur :
