Under a cloudy sky and in a choppy sea, the skippers set sail this Sunday from Le Havre. With strong winds, emotions on the docks, and popular fervor on the quays, this vigorous start set the tone for an edition already marked by the weather, which led the race management to add a stage for the Class40.
A Strong Start
Last to set off at 2:50 PM, in a strong wind of about twenty knots, the 42 Class40 boats brought up the rear, also making a good start that honored Le Havre and the region, as the first three boats to leave the Normandie buoy on starboard are from Normandy: Seafrigo-Sogestran (Guillaume Pirouelle and Cédric Chateau) in the lead, followed by Legallais (Fabien Delahaye and Pierre Leboucher) and Zeiss (Thimoté Polet and Pierrick Letouzé).
The Class40s will make a stopover in La Corogne, Spain. Indeed, following the arrival of a front and the deterioration of weather conditions expected at the entrance of the Bay of Biscay, the race management decided to add a stage to their route to shelter them and organize a second departure as soon as conditions allow.
The ranking for this first stage will be established in real-time, while the overall ranking of the Transat Café L’Or Normandie – Le Havre will be calculated based on the cumulative times of the two stages, after the jury’s decisions have been applied.
“The Boats Evolve, But the Emotion Remains the Same”
A little flashback to this morning at 9 AM, when a small line forms at the entrance of the village. The last chance to admire the boats, but above all to feel the emotion spreading across each dock as the hour to cast off approaches. There are, of course, family, friends, and a few curious onlookers. The family of Céline and Guillaume, who came from Dreux for the holidays, discovered the village by chance last night. Captivated by the atmosphere, they felt they had to return this morning. “I don’t know much about boats, but I’m very moved to see them; they simply impress me,” confides Céline. Her husband Guillaume adds, “A few years ago, the boats were much simpler. Today, they are jewels of technology.” As the first Class40s leave the dock one after another, Céline, with misty eyes, savors this moment of sharing and communion with these modern-day adventurers. The magic of offshore racing is at work.
Tracking: Cartographie
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