13 sailors, including a single woman
The Transat CIC, a northern transatlantic race from Lorient to New York, will welcome three classes at the start on April 28, 2024: IMOCA, Ocean Fifty and Class40. On the starting line will be the Class40s, the 12.18 m monohulls. While some of them took part in the Niji40, a 3-person crewed southern route transatlantic race between La Trinité-sur-Mer and Marie Galante, 13 sailors - including one woman - were seduced by the demanding course of the CIC Transat, raced single-handed.
Italians top the bill
The Class40 battle should be very interesting, with some of the best sailors in the class. Starting with Italians Ambrogio Beccaria (Alla Grande - Pirelli) and Alberto Bona (IBSA). The former has won two prestigious races, the CIC Normandy Channel Race and the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie - Le Havre. The latter is none other than the champion of the championship, having won the RORC Caribbean 600 and Les Sables-Horta.
Fearsome competitors
Against the Italians, we'll have to rely on the veterans of the last Transat Jacques Vabre, such as Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel), who won the Défi Atlantique, Fabien Delahaye (Legallais) and Aurélien Ducroz (Crosscall). Nicolas d'Estais (Café Joyeux) and Axel Tréhin (Project Rescue Ocean), who occupy the places of honor, can also claim victory.
Among the outsiders, Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio), the only woman in the Class40 event, will be able to draw on the experience she gained in several legs of The Ocean Race and her 13th place in the Transat Jacques Vabre.
The return of Vincent Riou
The Transat CIC will also see the return of a famous sailor, in the person of Vincent Riou. At 52, the winner of the 2004-2005 Vendée Globe returns with a new, innovative Class40 project, built at the Pogo Structures shipyard and renamed Pierreval âeuros Fondation GoodPlanet.
Youngsters to watch
This eclectic fleet will be joined by Goulven Marie on Qwanza, who at the age of 47 will be competing in his first solo transatlantic race. Quentin Le Nabour will be at the helm of Bleu Blanc Planète Location. Finally, two 23-year-old skippers will be on the starting line, Thimoté Polet (Zeiss) and Anatole Facon (Good Morning Futur), who despite their young age already have two transatlantic races under their belts.
