A race against time and stages
Following the decision to launch a partial start of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2023, with a stopover in Lorient for the Ocean Fifty and Class40 boats, the race committee has published an amendment to the sailing instructions, to set out the new rules. Francis Le Goff, Race Director, explains: "The ranking is based on cumulative times over the two legs. The boats will all head back to Martinique together, but it won't necessarily be the first to arrive in Fort-de-France that will be the winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre."
By switching to a stage race, the situation for yachts suffering damage on the Le Havre-Lorient section has changed. Under the traditional system, they would have had to remain in their port of call for repairs, with the right to assistance, before setting off again from the same port for the rest of the race. In the new configuration, the latter are entitled to abandon the first leg, without giving up their right to reach Martinique, and even Lorient by land. This is how the map today showed the Class40s Seafrigo and Crédit Mutuel at over 25 knots on the freeway, heading for the Morbihan port to carry out their repairs! Francis Le Goff reports: "As foreseen in the rider, they will be considered DNF and will be awarded the time of the last participant to cross the line, added 6 hours."
Finding logistics solutions in Martinique
Before having a reliable weather forecast to think about the starts, the efforts of the race management are turned towards the logistics of the arrivals, which could condition many elements. Indeed, the IMOCA boats have a return race on their schedule, the 1st edition of the Back to Basics, which was initially scheduled to start on November 26. Even assuming a direct Atlantic crossing, without going around Sao Paolo e Sao Pedro, the last boat could take twenty days or so, and arrive too late. Francis Le Goff sums up the situation: "The only communication today to the various classes is that no start will take place until Sunday. For the finish, we're working with Martinique, as the port to accommodate the IMOCAs is due to be dismantled on November 27."
