The 10th edition of the Les Sables - Horta - Les Sables race will set off from the Vendée harbor this Saturday, June 28 at 12:00 pm. There will be 27 duos at the start, a record number of entries for this emblematic event on the Class40 circuit, which links Vendée to the island of Faial in the Azores archipelago. A two-stage race: a double-handed outward leg to Horta, followed by a single-handed return to Les Sables d'Olonne.
This unique format, halfway between a crewed and solo race, makes it a particularly popular event for sailors, combining technical, human and strategic aspects.
This 2025 edition promises to be particularly challenging. The fleet entered is highly homogeneous, with 85% of the boats being recent - all with scow-type hulls - launched from 2020 onwards. This constant renewal of equipment, a sign of the vitality of the Class40 class, promises a fast, hard-fought race in which every maneuver will count.
Two tandems are the clear favorites for this year's race. On the one hand, Fabien Delahaye and Pierre Leboucher on Legallais are an experienced duo. They finished third in the last CIC Normandy Channel Race, and between them have an impressive track record. Fabien Delahaye distinguished himself on the Figaro circuit and in the Volvo Ocean Race, which he won with Dongfeng. Pierre Leboucher, on the other hand, has a history as an Olympic racer, twice finishing runner-up in the World Championship, and selected for the London 2012 Games.
Opposite them, the Normandy crew Guillaume Pirouelle and Alexis Loison on Seafrigo-Sogestran are also serious contenders. Regularly ranked in the top five of the season's races, they combine youth, mastery and a wealth of experience. Alexis Loison, in particular, is no stranger to the demands of offshore racing, having taken part in no fewer than fourteen La Solitaire du Figaro events.
Behind these favourites, the race remains wide open. A number of crews are at a solid level and could well spring a surprise. Such is the case of Italians Luca Rosetti and Mattéo Sericano on Maccaferri Futura, the most recent boat in the fleet, just launched. Winner of the Mini Transat 2023, Luca Rosetti is discovering his new Class40 here, with the ambition of playing up front. Another promising duo is Thimothé Polet and Pierrick Letouzé on Zeiss: their boat is perfectly reliable and Thimothé, 24, is the youngest skipper entered.
Quentin Le Nabour and Thierry Chabagny on Bleu Blanc Planète Location have a wealth of experience behind them. They have encountered a number of technical problems in recent races, but once these are behind them, they can be formidable competitors, as can Vincent Riou and Yann Doffin on Pierreval Fondation Good Planet. Winner of the 2004-2005 Vendée Globe, Vincent Riou returns to a shorter but no less demanding format, in a channel he knows by heart. Guillaume L'Hostis and Antoine Le Manchec on Alternative Sailing - Constructions du Belon will also be in ambush, with a competitive boat.
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