Transat Jacques Vabre

[semelis]

Very french.

From their facebook page

"44 duets, four classes and four winners

From Friday October 25th Le Havre’s Paul Vatine Basin will see one of the strongest fleets muster for the Transat Jaques Vabre, the two handed race across the Atlantic, for twenty years. Not since 1993 has there been a racing fleet as big and as strong.
25 Class40 - 6 Multi50 - 10 IMOCA - 3 MOD70."

Seems that the Class40 is doing the right things to get a fleet.

And the official page.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

Working on getting there to cover it.

good times

 

[LeoV]

Interesting duo in the C40:

Mike Gascoyne en Brian Thompson.

And good to see Pella back too.

Good fleet with lots of foreigners, nice.

Imoca, I see 4 very strong teams...

Bring it on, I need a sailing fix.

 

[oioi]

In imoca i see 4 strong teams - prb, safran, cheminees, maitre coq - and one winner - macif

Why reichers racing the 40 and not the 60?

 

[Rail Meat]

11Th Hour Racing all the way!

11Th Hour Racing all the way!

 

[Icedtea]

In imoca i see 4 strong teams - prb, safran, cheminees, maitre coq - and one winner - macif

Why reichers racing the 40 and not the 60?

AFAIK Reichers usually races the 40

I think someone has the beating of Macif in them- maybe Beyou

 

[Presuming Ed]

Further delay. Not tomorrow (Monday), maybe not even Thursday.

http://www.transat-jacques-vabre.com/fr/depart-reporte-pour-la-transat-jacques-vabre

Compte-tenu des conditions météo très difficiles dans la nuit de lundi à mardi (jusqu’à 50 nœuds et une mer très formée), la direction sportive en concertation avec l’organisation a pris la décision de reporter le départ de demain lundi à une date ultérieure (la date de jeudi n’est pas encore une certitude). La transatlantique en double dont la particularité et la force résident dans son caractère multi-classes joue également la carte de la solidarité pour que la flotte entière puisse participer à l’épreuve dans les meilleures conditions possibles.

Manfred Ramspacher (directeur sportif de la Transat Jacques Vabre)

« La direction sportive et l’ensemble de l’organisation ont décidé de reporter le départ dans une situation favorable qui pourrait-être jeudi. Des vents entre 30 et 50 nœuds qui pourraient mettre en danger les skippers et leurs bateaux sont attendus dans la nuit de lundi à mardi. Un départ demain du Havre se serait fait dans des conditions musclées, et avec une incertitude au raz Blanchard, également au passage de Ouessant, et un début de golfe de Gascogne très difficile.

Nous sommes bien conscients que d’autres classes comme les IMOCA auraient pu prendre le départ. Mais notre préoccupation principale demeure la sécurité des équipages. Notre décision est donc sur ce report.

Notre volonté première, c’est d’avoir le maximum de bateaux à Itajaí, et nous nous donnons le moyen d’y arriver. Il faut accepter cette solidarité dans l’épreuve. Le créneau de mercredi ou jeudi n’est pas une certitude aujourd’hui. Nous pensons que cela peut passer, mais cela reste encore incertain. Les MOD 70 sont toujours dans le scénario de mercredi ou jeudi, on le fera en concertation avec eux. »

 

[MR.CLEAN]

With a worsening forecast for difficult weather thorough Monday night into Tuesday and immediately thereafter, (squalls to 50kts) the race direction of the Transat Jacques Vabre have decided to postpone tomorrow’s (Monday’s) scheduled start to a later date.

On current forecasts Thursday is considered a possibility. The double handed race across the Atlantic from Le Havre to Itajaí, Brazil has a strong legacy as a multi class event and the race directors are resolute in their determination that the entire four classes fleet compete in the best possible conditions.

Manfred Ramspacher ( sporting director ) explained:

"The event sport direction the entire organization has made the decision to postpone the start until a more favourable situation arrives, which could be Thursday.”

“Winds 30 to 50 knots which could endanger the skippers and their boats are forecast. We are well aware that classes such as IMOCA could start. But our main concern is the overall safety of the crews.”

“Our decision is based on the forecast that we could get away from Le Havre but with difficult conditions and some uncertainly at the ras Blanchard, at Ushant, and some very difficult conditions at the start of the Bay of Biscay.

Our first aim is to ensure we can get maximum number of boats finishing Itajai.”

“We must maintain this solidarity in the event. The possibility of starting Wednesday or Thursday not for certain. We think it can happen, but it is still uncertain. The MOD 70 are still programmed to start on Wednesday or Thursday, we will decide in consultation with them.

An IMOCA race might have been able to start, and I can understand their disappointment, but we are a multi-class race."

Manfred Ramspacher (Sport Director): "We have decided to postpone the start of the Transat Jacques Vabre."

http://www.transat-jacques-vabre.com/sites/default/files/audio/son/manfred_ramspacher_20131103_uk.mp3

 

[Rail Meat]

There looks to be a big-ass low coming down the Bay of Biscay on Saturday, so if they can't get it started on Tuesday then I don't know that they will be able to get it done this week.

Autumn in France. Always interesting.

 

[AlStorer]

The Caterham team is very interesting. Mike's got solo crusing experience but as far as I gather little solo/short handed racing experience. Nice boat, had a look around it at the Southampton boat show.

 

[mad]

The Caterham team is very interesting. Mike's got solo crusing experience but as far as I gather little solo/short handed racing experience. Nice boat, had a look around it at the Southampton boat show.

He should have a big learning curve with Brian Thompson on board though.

 

[rmb]

The Class 40s got added to the TJV as the other fleets are shrinking, but are dictating the format of the start as well as the permissible weather for starting in for all the competitors.

In order to keep things reasonable for fans and public, I think they need to have their own races, one, so that they get the media they deserve, and two so that the starts of the more capable, professional classes are not unduly delayed...

 

[mad]

The Class 40s got added to the TJV as the other fleets are shrinking, but are dictating the format of the start as well as the permissible weather for starting in for all the competitors.

In order to keep things reasonable for fans and public, I think they need to have their own races, one, so that they get the media they deserve, and two so that the starts of the more capable, professional classes are not unduly delayed...

Wouldn't that just 'water down the TJV event'? Events with very few entries seem to struggle getting good and continued coverage, especially if half the fleet gets damaged early on, as has happened on previous Transat events.

 

[420]

In imoca i see 4 strong teams - prb, safran, cheminees, maitre coq - and one winner - macif

Why reichers racing the 40 and not the 60?

Because his 60 is currently being modified and getting a new bow with more volume

 

[Sailbydate]

In imoca i see 4 strong teams - prb, safran, cheminees, maitre coq - and one winner - macif

Why reichers racing the 40 and not the 60?

AFAIK Reichers usually races the 40

I think someone has the beating of Macif in them- maybe Beyou

Maybe. Watch for Marc and Pascal on Safran.

 

[moody frog]

The Class 40s got added to the TJV as the other fleets are shrinking, but are dictating the format of the start as well as the permissible weather for starting in for all the competitors.

In order to keep things reasonable for fans and public, I think they need to have their own races, one, so that they get the media they deserve, and two so that the starts of the more capable, professional classes are not unduly delayed...

Wouldn't that just 'water down the TJV event'? Events with very few entries seem to struggle getting good and continued coverage, especially if half the fleet gets damaged early on, as has happened on previous Transat events.
Yup ! It's the circus in Le Havre which justifies funding of the organisation, while the IMOCA - fighting for survival - is no longer big enough for filling the basin. The same goes for the Multi 50 v/s MOD 70.

Raising money from town-councils has its own backfires:

Requesting boats to lie in the marina/basin well in advance to drive in more week-end visitors.

Starting on a bank-holiday week-end, even if it is late into the season and .... at the exact time of spring tides.

Running the course through a treacherous and overcrowded Channel, because Le Havre is relatively close to Paris and millions of potential visitors.

In other words: marketing constraints increase the risks of postponements, when too many incidents in the early hours, and too many calls for rescue could put the future of racing at risk in a Nanny-state, not talking about the organisers' liability.

This is a money-consuming business and it has tough rules besides the sport

 

[Presuming Ed]

Nice boat, had a look around it at the Southampton boat show.

Wonder if they've got their data logging/rig tension measuring traffic light thingy working. And whether they find it useful?

 

[nkb]

In imoca i see 4 strong teams - prb, safran, cheminees, maitre coq - and one winner - macif

Why reichers racing the 40 and not the 60?

AFAIK Reichers usually races the 40

I think someone has the beating of Macif in them- maybe Beyou

Maybe. Watch for Marc and Pascal on Safran.

My money is on Beyou and Prat. Will be fun to watch.. also looking forward to updates coming back from Sidney on Oman Air.

 

[MR.CLEAN]

Hard to bet against F & M. Gabard hasn't lost a race in a while!