This class will bring together a fleet of 43 monohulls of 40 feet (12.18 metres) and sailors with diverse and varied profiles, who are today inseparable from the great solo Transat.
Born in 2004, the Class40 association was created to allow experienced amateurs to access ocean racing on board a simple, fast and reliable monohull. Halfway between the Mini 6.50 and the Open 60, the size of 40 feet is chosen to define a gauge that arouses a lot of enthusiasm among architects and sailors alike.
Three generations of rum
Today, around a hundred skippers representing around ten nationalities are adhering to its state of mind, which favours budget control and a real openness to the international scene. The figures are there, they confirm the attractiveness of the class, which develops around a complete circuit rhythmed every four years by the queen of solo transatlantic races, each new edition of which encourages the launch of boats with increasingly powerful and efficient hulls. In 2006, 25 skippers registered the first letters of nobility in this category off Cape Frehel. Two editions later, 43 solo sailors make up the starting grid for this Class40-arranged rum, entered aboard sailing boats of all generations, since almost ten years separate the oldest from the youngest, recently launched.
Skippers with varied profiles
This diversity also outweighs the skippers. Whether they are among the young wolves with sharp ambitions (Sébastien Rogues/GDF SUEZ, Bertrand Delesne/TeamWork40, Alex Pella...), or the great figures of the open sea with the most solid charts (Halvard Mabire/Campagne 2 France, Kito de Pavant/Otio-Bastide Medical...), they are the most successful in the world, Yannick Bestaven/LE CONSERVATEUR, Miranda Merron/Campagne de France, Arnaud Boissières/Aerocampus Du Rhum au Globe...), these sailors illustrate the level of quality gathered at the start to succeed Thomas Ruyant, winner in title between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre. However, they will have to beware of the enthusiasm of young shoots in the making (Nicolas Thomas/Guadeloupe Grand Large-1001 Piles Batteries, Valentin Lemarchand/Maison Tirel Guerin, Paul Hignard/Bruneau, Alan Roura/Exocet...), who willingly grab the helm of a Class40 with the stated objective of surprising more than one.
A class that attracts amateurs
The Class40 also attracts many amateurs, who put their careers on hold so that they can take part in the Route du Rhum and fulfil the dream of a lifetime. Proof of this is that the credo"one man, one boat, one ocean" has not finished finding a formidable echo in this category, which inevitably mixes the spiciness of competition with the salt of human adventure.
Photo credits: DR
