News Around the World
They were never intended as upwind rocketships, but Bill Lee’s Santa Cruz sleds could still get to the weather mark in good shape in moderate airs – hence their subsequent success racing in the very different environment of the Great Lakes where many of these boats later migrated. The Santa Cruz 70 Grand Illusion (above) is nevertheless rather out of range beating up the City Front against the tide during San Francisco Big Boat series. But with all Lee’s boats you still got a lot of yacht – and a lot of fun – for your dollars
also expanded to 120 the number of boats at the start of the most prestigious singlehanded transatlantic race of them all. The Class40 benefits from this expansion with 55 boats. This
still does not match the request expressed by the management of the Class40 (for 70 boats) which is worried that some competitors will not be accepted, but it shows goodwill from the race organi- sation. The quota for Imocas has also been raised to 25, five more than last time (2018), but here too we still run the risk of ‘bumping into each other’. Worse off, however, is the lower-profile Rhum fleet, with an entry
limit of 24 boats (split between monohulls and multihulls) compared with 25 in 2018. The only two categories where there will be no traffic jams are the Ocean Fifties with eight boats (which corresponds to the current Pro Sailing Tour fleet) and eight Ultims. The number of boats allowed at the start of the Route du Rhum
has increased but also the price of registration… and noticeably. Thus the owners of the Ultims, kings of the seas, will have to pay 80,000 euros (all the prices are plus VAT!) compared with 50,000 in 2018; the Imocas 25,000 euros per boat, in contrast to 20,000 four years ago; the Ocean Fifty 15,000, from 10,000 before, an increase of 50 per cent; while the Corinthian Rhum class has ‘only’ a 10 per cent increase, 6,600 euros, up from 6,000 previously. It should be pointed out in defence of the race organisers that the
logistical costs are also increasing and that a substantial part of the registration fees is ‘returned’ to the class winners. Finally, some of the money raised by OC Sports (we calculated that
the total registration fees amount to 2,093,400 euros… plus VAT) is also used to ensure the sustainability of a company, OC Sport, that organises several other sailing races that are much less profitable.
Split the cost The 82 boats registered in mid-July for this year’s big two-handed
24 SEAHORSE
Transat Jacques Vabre also set a new record for this event. Previous big entries were 59 in 2019 and 60 – the previous record – in 2007. The next TJV starts in Le Havre on 7 November. The 2021 entry
is split into 49 Class40s, 21 Imocas, seven Ocean Fifties and five Ultims. All now have until mid-September to finish their qualification. The Class40 once again startled the bean-counters with its
49 entries (and this is a minimum, since four additional boats are expected to be added soon) compared with 27 in 2019, including 11 new Scow-type boats like Ian Lipinski’s Crédit Mutuel, winner in 2019. The Imocas continue the momentum of the Vendée Globe; 17 of the boats that raced in the solo world tour last winter will be in Le Havre in November, several of which have changed colours in the meantime. A number to which one new boat has to be added plus three more who did not race the VG last time, to reach a total of 21 entries (again, with two more in the wings). Apivia and Charlie Dalin, winners in 2019, will try to defend their
title. Since then Charlie has finished first in the VG and most recently overwhelmed his rivals to win the Imoca class in the 2021 Fastnet race... by an astonishing margin. The Ocean Fifty class is also doing well. Under the name Multi50
in 2019, we had only three entries. This year the 50ft trimarans will be seven at the start! Two boats were built in the meantime, and other new projects emerged. The battle will be harder for Gilles Lamiré, the last winner, still at the helm of his original 50 Groupe GCA. Finally, the TJV – or so-called Route du Café (in comparison to
the Route du Rhum) – is delighted to see the return (also in force) of the Ultim category, not there two years ago. Never before had the race received so many maxi-trimarans: five will start this time. Two of these 32m giants have been launched in recent months, three in all since 2017, when they last participated. That time the previous Sodebo, skippered by Thomas Coville, was the winner. The TJV takes place every two years. The event is organised by
PHIL UHL
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