At 2:11 p.m., the start of the 2015 Panerai Transat Classique was given. This offshore race, reserved for classic yachts, goes from Lanzarote to Fort-de-France and creates a real spirit of competition between the participants. For this edition, the course has been modified to allow the yachts involved to demonstrate all their marine qualities and the competitors to prove their strategic talent.
The first 48 hours keep their commitments
On Friday, January 9, after 48 hours at sea, the crews were determined not to give up until the final victory. The classic yachts are sailing at a speed of 8 knots, and Altair is at 11 knots. The fleet is spread out over nearly 170 miles in the North-South direction and less than 100 miles in the East-West direction. Ãeuros 12 hours, Altair the largest sailboat in the fleet, held the 1st position era place, with no great surprise. Its captain, Stephane Benfield, has set himself the goal of covering 1,000 miles over the first 4 days. Let's not underestimate Argyll and Gweneven which remain serious competitors for the 1931 schooner.
At 6 ème day, Altair beats its record!
The crews of the Panerai Transat Classique are pushing the "old ladies" to the limit. Strategic choices have already been made and some choose the North while others opt for the South.
On Altair's side, a record was broken! The classic yacht beat her 260 mile score by covering 273 miles in 24 hours at an average speed of 11.4 knots. It also managed to achieve the 1,000 miles, promised by its captain, in the first 4 days. However, he is not the first of the fleet since this place is held by the oldest boat of the race, Adventuress who leads Altair by a few minutes. This is a real feat when you consider that these boats were built in 1931 for the 1 er and in 1924 for the 2 ème by William Fife III, the great Scottish architect.
The other competitors are doing their utmost to keep in touch with the two leaders, covering around 200 miles per 24 hours and averaging around 8 knots.
Photo credits: Panerai Classic Transat
