The Transat AG2R La Mondiale is a double-handed race organized every two years by the OC Sport âeuros Pen Duick company, linking Concarneau to Saint-Barthélemy (French West Indies). Starting from Le Finistère, this race is raced on Figaro Bénéteau II for a 3600 miles course. The Transat AG2R La Mondiale was created in 1992, initially starting from Lorient with a stopover in the Canary Islands. Jacques Caraes and Michel Desjoyeaux won this first edition in 24 days, 8 hours, 40 minutes and 34 seconds. Two years later, in 1994, Madère replaced the Canaries. From 2006, the starting city becomes Concarneau and the stopover is forgotten.
Attracting between 25 and 30 duos each year, the participations have run out of steam since 2012 with the number of entries dropping by half. In 2016, the number of boats entered is 15. The last winners in title (2014) are Paul Meilhat and Gwénolé Gahinet.
Key figures
- 2 is the number of former winners at the start of the 2016 edition
- 63 is the number of seconds ahead of Roland Jourdain and Jean Le Cam when they won the 1994 edition
- 120 is the number of liters of water on board
- 293 is the record for the distance covered in nautical miles in 24 hours by Nicolas Roussel and Thomas Rouxel in 2010
- 5000 is the amount in euros of the bonus for the team that won the performance trophy
- 60 kg is the number of food on board
- 50 kg is the number of equipment and security
- 20 kg is the number of clothes on board
What course?
The duos start from a town in Finistère, in this case Concarneau, and sail to Saint-Barthélemy in the French West Indies over a 3600 mile course. Until now, a gate was marked by a virtual buoy, located about ten miles from the northern tip of La Palma. This year, it will no longer be a gate. This buoy will only have to be left on the starboard side, to give those who want to go very far south the opportunity to do so.
Who is participating?
The Transat AG2R La Mondiale is first and foremost a one-design race in Figaro Bénéteau II. To participate, you must have experience in one of the races reserved for the Figaro circuit:
- Transat AG2R La Mondiale,
- Transat Bretagne âeuros Martinique,
- Solitaire du Figaro,
- Generali Solo
Or in an offshore race:
- Route du Rhum,
- Vendée Globe,
- Transat Jacques Vabre,
- Transat 6,50
All participants sail on the same boat (one-design) which is the Figaro Bénéteau II. Launched in 2003, this 10.10 m sailboat is used by the skippers and owners of the class to sail single-handed or double-handed, notably in the leading race of the discipline, the Solitaire du Figaro. A new Figaro Bénéteau III will replace the current class boat for the 2019 season and will be designed by VPLP (compared to Marc Lombard for the Figaro Bénéteau II).
What's special about it?
The AG2R La Mondiale Performance Trophy will be awarded to the team that completes the most miles per day of the race. This prize will be awarded each day, throughout the race, to the team that has covered the most miles per 24-hour period.
At the end of the race, the three crews who will have won the most daily trophies will be rewarded. The tandems will thus be able to receive 10,000 euros for the winner, 5,000 euros for the second and 3,000 euros for the third. If the winners are ex æquo, the distribution of the prizes will be equal.
