Monday 21st of June 2004
Transat Québec-Saint Malo : 20 years already...
The start of the 6th edition of the Transat Quebec-Saint Malo will be given on 11th July celebrating 20 years of its existence. This transatlantic race will begin with a very technical descent of the Saint Laurent River bringing together an exceptional line-up of skippers with a notable twelve ocean-racing multihulls at the start.
A transat at the heart of some of the greatest sailors
Begun in 1984 within the framework of the 450th anniversary of Jacques Cartier's arrival in America, the Transat Quebec-Saint Malo reunites the top ocean-racing sailors of the 50 and 60 foot monohulls and multihulls, every four years. Caradec, Arthaud, Peyron, Bourgnon, Cammas, not to mention the veteran of the event, Canadian Mike Birch, form part of the great skippers both of times gone by and the present day that make up its history.
The Transat Quebec-Saint Malo is original in more ways than one. It was the only crewed transatlantic to be raced from west to east, downwind, in the direction of the depressions, at a point of sail that often favours 24 hour speed records.
What really sets it apart though are the initial 400 miles of racing (from a total of 3000 nautical miles) in the waters of the Saint Laurent river between the boulders and currents, fog banks, light winds and the developing depressions. The third and final part of the course between the Fastnet and Saint Malo is also very delicate...victory is sometimes decided here, as it was during the first as well as the most recent edition.
Finally this crewed transatlantic (between 4 and 6 crew according to the size of the boats) is particularly appreciated by the sailors on both a tactical and technical level. On 11th July there will be nearly 25 crews on the start line, including 12 multihulls.
In this category Franck Cammas and his crew will defend their title against the winner of The Transat, Michel Desjoyeaux, among others.
The Party in Quebec
The start of the Transat Quebec-Saint Malo will be a time for Quebec to host 11 days of festivities linked with the sea and sailing with an abundance of entertainment at the Vieux Port and the Bassin Louise between the 1st and 11th July. During the last edition of the Transat in July 2000, some 200,000 visitors, 50,000 of which came out to experience the start day, participated in the celebrations in Quebec. Accustomed to its fair share of the large sailing events like the Route du Rhum and the Course Internationale des Grands Voiliers (International Race for Large Yachts), Saint Malo will welcome just as many visitors to its shores.
Provisional List of Entrants:
ORMA/Multi 60'
1 Cammas Franck Groupama
2 Coville Thomas Sodebo
3 Desjoyaux Michel Géant
4 Fauconnier Karine Sergio Tacchini
5 Frédéric Le Peutrec Gitana XI
6 Gautier Alain Foncia
7 Guillemot Marc Gitana X
8 Monnet Philippe Sopra Group
9 Parlier Yves Médiatis-Région Aquitaine
10 Ravussin Stève Banque Covefi
11 Roucayrol Lalou Banque Populaire
12 Soldini Giovanni TIM Progetto Italia
Mono 60'
1 Richards Emma Pindar
Multi 50'
1 Birch Mike Nootka
2 Bousquet Philippe Aquaera/ ex Côte du Qc
3 Caseneuve Anne Atlantique Nature
4 Demachy Dominique GIFI
5 Escoffier Franck-Yves Crêpes Whaou!
6 Quintin Pascal Stalaven
Mono 50'
1 Coquelin Luc Top 50
2 Langevin Roger Branec III
3 Leblanc Georges Ciment St-Laurent
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