Offer similar conditions to a Vende Globe in the North Atlantic
Retour à la base is a single-handed transatlantic race reserved for IMOCA boats, due to start on November 30, 2023. This new race, organized by Lorient Grand Large, runs from Fort-de-France in Martinique to Lorient, with the aim of bringing the boats back to mainland France for a winter refit after the Transat Jacques Vabre.
The start can be followed live from 4.30pm to 5.30pm CET on the race website, Facebook page or Lorient Grand Large's YouTube channel, using drones and cameras.
Jean-Philippe Cau, President of Lorient Grand Large, explains how the race came about: "Lorient is a world center for ocean racing. We were looking to organize sporting events, at the level of a transatlantic race, which would start or finish in Lorient. A few years ago, the IMOCA sailors and I decided that the return of the Transat Jacques Vabre was a good opportunity. The idea is to put ourselves in conditions similar to those of a Vendée Globe, a year before the start of the race, with boats that are often new and not completely finished. We had 40 entrants, and a bit of purging to finally bring together a fine field of 33 starters."
Qualifying for the Vendée Globe 2024
If the Retour à la Base also attracts so many sailors, it's because the race is a qualifier for the Vendée Globe 2024. It's also the only single-handed race in 2023, so it's a good way to get ready for the big round-the-world race next year. For the time being, however, only 31 boats are sure of taking the start. Tanguy Le Turquais is still racing in the Transat Jacques Vabre, with 677 miles to go. As for Jean Le Cam, who did not take part in the double-handed transatlantic race, he is currently on a delivery trip with Bernard Stamm, sailing off the coast of Morocco... in other words, we're going to have to put the pedal to the metal to get the Return to Base underway.
While the finish line of the Transat Jacques Vabre closes on December 1, 2023 at 18:00 local time, the start line of the return race remains open until December 7 at 13:00 local time. Latecomers will then be able to set off on a virtual starting line, after a safety check to ensure they are fit enough to set off again.
A course against the trade winds
The starting conditions currently forecast should ensure a great show, as race director Hubert Lemonnier explains: "The start will be given at noon local time in a north-easterly wind, on a start line wide enough for the boats to set off and gain due south with beam and reaching. It's going to go very fast to reach the southern tip of Martinique, and then head east luffing to Lorient. It's not an easy route, and it can be a real boat-breaker at this time of year, as you arrive north of the Azores, in the Bay of Biscay. We'll have to take weather conditions into account. The idea is to repeat the North Atlantic in winter, a bit like the Vendée Globe. In terms of routing, it's going to be classic upwind sailing to head north, followed by beam angles and a bit more open and fast for the boats. They'll have to set the cursor according to the seas."
In order to compensate for sea and wind conditions, the IMOCA boats are equipped with gates along the course. These compulsory passages will be used for the overall ranking in the event of the finish being neutralized due to poor weather conditions.
Estimated race times are around ten days, between 8 1/2 and 9 days for the fastest and up to 14 or 15 days for the slowest.
Bringing boats back to La Base and reviving solo sailing
Jérémie Beyou, Sam Davies, Yoann Richomme and Benjamin Ferré were present at the press briefing given 3 days before the start. All agreed that the main objective was to get back into the habit of single-handed sailing after a double-handed season, but also to bring his IMOCA home without too much damage before a major winter refit in preparation for the Vendée Globe 2024.
Jérémie Beyou explains: "My idea is to sail single-handed again, to manage the manoeuvres... It was a double-handed season, so we got used to the habits of double-handed sailing. I have no sporting objective. The race is aptly named. It's all about bringing the boats home. We're all aiming for the Vendée Globe, and there are some big projects ahead of us. We want to perform well, but the team expects the boat to be fast and in good condition. So we're going to get back on track and bring the boat home.
