News Around the World
FRANCE Mini Transat: so many requests! At the beginning of January no fewer than 126 applications had already been submitted for only 84 available places for the Mini Transat: proof of the success of the race and the attractiveness of the ever-growing Mini 6.50 class. Of those registrations 58 sailors have already met the stringent entry criteria with 68 solo hopefuls still having to qualify before the last 26 places are filled. The race for gaining qualification miles on the water has never been so intense! There are eight months and 15 races left for the contenders to try to get their precious entrance ticket to the Mini.
UNCL has a new (female) president L’Union Nationale pour la Course au Large, the yacht club that created and manages the IRC rule with the Royal Ocean Racing Club, has elected as its new president Anne de Bagneaux-Savatier. Anne was previously secretary general of UNCL, and a member of the steering committee for more than 20 years. Oceanographic biologist, MBA from the famous Essec School of Business, first female president of the 164-year-old Société des Régates du Havre, Anne de Bag- neaux-Savatier is also Captain of Frigates of the French Navy. She knows the sea well, and the sailors, clubs and regattas as well! Since 1995 Anne has also been the president of the Drakkar
Association which has created and organises numerous sailing events – solo, double-handed and crewed – including on the Figaro circuit. She has also been very successful in attracting events and skippers to the famous and very technical waters of Le Havre! By succeeding Jean-Philippe Cau at the helm of the UNCL, she becomes the second woman, after Catherine Pourre, to chair the UNCL.
Five Transats in a row No fewer than five transatlantic races are scheduled in 2021! The IRC opens the programme in April with the all-new Cap Martinique, raced solo and two-handed, from La Trinité-sur-Mer to Fort-de-France, Martinique. The fleet will be followed, three weeks later, by the
22 SEAHORSE
professional two-handed sailors leaving Concarneau on their Figaro 3s for St Barts. In August the IRC fleets will once again be in the starting blocks for the first leg of the Transquadra, having a long stop in Madeira prior to the second leg to Martinique. And, of course, this autumn we will see the two big events that take place in alternate years: the magic Solo Mini Transat in September and a month later the two-handed Transat Jacques Vabre which will bring together Ultims, Imocas, Multi50s and Class40s. Quite a year!
Trophée Jules Verne: Gitana 17 goes for a second attempt On 26 November 2020, after three days at sea on their first round- the-world record attempt (Jules Verne Trophy), started close in the wake of Sodebo, Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier decided to return to their home port following damage from a UFO which prevented MaxiEdmond de Rothschildreaching 100 per cent poten- tial. Moreover, shortly after leaving Brest the weather further south had turned, with the South Atlantic no longer presenting its best face with the Sainte-Helène high located very far south requiring a much longer course on their way to the Cape of Good Hope. The voyage had started pretty well for Thomas Coville, leaving
just hours earlier. Sodebo was ahead of Francis Joyon’s course passing by the pin of South Africa but she did not catch the formi- dable kick in the buttocks the Jules Verne record holder Idec Sport had had, with a time of 40d 23h 30m held since January 2017. In the middle of the Indian Ocean Sodebo was beginning
to concede ground to the route followed by Idec Sport… On 11 December, after 16 days at sea, while sailing between the Ker- guelen Islands and Cape Leeuwin at more than 30kt, Thomas and his seven crew members noticed damage to the starboard rudder. After several hours of hard work and exchanges with the technical team ashore, they had to face the obvious. They decided to stop their attempt and headed north west for Reunion Island. After repairs the 32m trimaran sailed back to Lorient where she
arrived… just a few days after the restart of Gitana 17 at 0233 on 10 January. Pushed along nicely by a cold 20kt northeasterly and
GILES MARTIN-RAGET
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