Two Sides of a Sail
by Mark Jardine 28 Oct 18:00 GMT
Transat Café L'or Le Havre Normandie 2025 Start © Jean-Marie Liot / Alea
I'm focusing on two very different events today, on different sides of the planet, and with a very different focus, but linked by the adventure of going sailing.
The Transat Café L'or, currently taking place in the Atlantic Ocean, is possibly one of the toughest offshore races in the world, while the Pittwater Sail Expo near Sydney in Australia brought many potential sailors into contact with what could be the start of their sailing journey.
A brutal start to the Transat Café L'or
Outside of the Vendée Globe, the Transat Café L'or is possibly the highest profile shorthanded offshore race in the world. Formerly known as the Transat Jacques-Vabre, this event brings together the Class 40, Ocean50, IMOCA and Ultim fleets to race from Le Havre, France to Fort-de-France, Martinique. There are (or at least were) 74 boats taking part, each with two skippers on board. I say 'were' as there have already been a number of retirements, including three of the 10-strong Ocean50 fleet capsizing on the first night.
Starting a race in late October is always going to bring high winds in the Atlantic, and this year is no exception. So much so, that the Ocean50 decided to start a day early, and the Class40 fleet are going to hunker down in La Coruña, Spain as soon as they cross the Bay of Biscay to ride out a deep low pressure system which is going to bring gale force winds and huge seas.
The Ocean50 fleet was reduced from ten to seven yachts just 12 hours after their start. These trimarans are quick, but flighty, and require fast reactions from their skippers when things go wrong.
Unfortunately for Erwan Le Draoulec and Tanguy Le Turquais aboard Lazare X Hellio, who capsized off La Hague just a few hours after starting, Erwan Leroux and Audrey Ogereau aboard Koesio, who capsized north of Guernsey, and Matthieu Perraut and Jean-Baptiste Gellée aboard Inter Invest, who capsized off the tip of Brittany, things did go wrong, but thankfully all the skippers are safe and well.
The mighty Ultim trimarans started on Sunday, almost 24 hours after the Ocean50 fleet, but have already caught up and are tacking their way south off the coast off Portugal and Morocco with Tom Laperche and Franck Cammas on SVR - Lazartigue leading the way at a cool 27 knots of boat speed.
Armel Le Cléac'h and Sébastien Joss on Maxi Banque Populaire XI were forced to make a pit-stop at their base in Lorient after they'd forgotten to lock a rudder during a tack, causing it to shoot upwards violently. The team had a spare at their base, and so quickly changed it out, but they are now over 300 nautical miles behind the leaders.
The IMOCA fleet has many of the Vendée Globe and The Ocean Race stars racing, and at the moment Sam Goodchild and Loïs Berrehar on MACIF Santé Prévoyance are engaged in a battle for the lead with Francesca Clapcich and Will Harris on 11th Hour Racing as they exit the Bay of Biscay.
In an unfamiliar 18th place are Yoann Richomme and Corentin Horeau on Paprec Arkéa, who hit a navigation buoy at the start and had to return to Le Havre to repair damage to the outrigger deck spreader and starboard foil. The shore team worked through the night, bringing replacements from their Lorient base, and the duo returned to racing early on Monday afternoon, but they have over 300 nautical miles to catch up on the leaders.
The biggest fleet by far is the Class 40 with a superb 42 yachts racing. The tightly bunched fleet are tacking their way south in the Bay of Biscay as they make their way through to the enforced pit-stop in La Coruña. This is the fleet where you'll find many of the Vendée Globe stars of the future, so keep an eye on sailors such as Le Havre's Guillaume Pirouelle and Cedric Chateau on Seafrigo Sogestran, who are currently trading the lead with Achille Nebout and Gildas Mahé on Amarris.
I'm producing video updates on the race on our @Sail-World YouTube channel, and the start update seems to have gone down well so far. I won't quite be doing the daily videos I did during the Vendée, but will attempt to do as many as I can around my other work commitments!
A celebration of sail at the Pittwater Sail Expo
As anyone who has recently been to a major boatshow show will tell you, there are more powerboats on display and fewer sailing yachts. Power is a huge part of the marine market, and it very much feels like sail is being crowded out of these, but just when you sag your shoulders at the situation, the Pittwater Sail Expo comes to the rescue.
Hosted by the excellent Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, the revived Pittwater Sail Expo was a loud and proud celebration of everything to do with sailing yachts, and wow did it deliver. This event saw the major yacht dealers working together to show that modern sailing yachts are every bit as good a way as getting out on the water.
The pontoons were bustling with latest French, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, American, and Australian yachts, while stands ashore showcased rigging, sailmaking, marine electronics, chandlery, and safety equipment, as well as community sailing initiatives and training programs designed to encourage participation at every level.
Andrew Hawkins, who arranged much of the media and publicity for the event said, "All the local dealers came to the same conclusion. That working together on a show dedicated to sailing was of mutual benefit, and was what the market wanted. Three days of sailors speaking to sailors."
Kevin Wallis, MD of X-Yachts Australia, as well as being the Dragonfly Trimarans and Pegasus Yachts importer amongst others, added, "It was a cracker! Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club did well with mermaids, bands, great food on offer, and we were as busy as hell! Lots of couples and families came looking for yachts to explore, some with no sailing experience, which was great to see. It kind of feels like the new Everest!"
This is the kind of event sailing needs more of. A lively and buoyant atmosphere to attract new owners and help existing owners upgrade. Hats off to the organisers and the yacht brokers for coming together to support it.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what type of sailing you're doing, just as long as you're doing it and enjoying it. Sailing is cathartic, it's invigorating, it feeds your soul, and gives you something to long for. In a world that can frequently make you wonder, it provides that calm which we all need. Just get out and sail!
Mark Jardine
Sail-World.com and YachtsandYachting.com Managing Director