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The Transat
Start, Plymouth, 2.Mai 2016
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22nd April 2016
The Transat bakerly fleet gathers in Saint-Malo
for the first ever pre-race Warm-Up to Plymouth
The crowds have gathered in the French Brittany port of Saint-Malo to welcome the skippers and boats who will contest this year’s Transat bakerly solo transatlantic race from Plymouth to New York.
For the first time in the history of the solo classic, first staged in 1960 when it was won by Sir Francis Chichester, the race is preceded by a non-timed, pre-start warm-up from Saint-Malo to Plymouth.
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Transatflotte in St.Malo
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Almost all of the yachts taking part in the gruelling 3,000-mile classic will set sail from Saint-Malo at 20:00 local time on Saturday 23rd April for the 130-nautical mile passage to Plymouth.
On board will be the skippers plus members of the media or other corporate guests who will enjoy an authentic taste of what The Transat bakerly is all about – sailing to windward.
The wind forecast for the Warm-Up suggests the crews will start in a north-easterly breeze, but will end up beating to windward in 10-15 knots of wind as they make their way north to the Devon coast. Most of the boats should dock in Plymouth on Sunday morning.
Among the skippers preparing for the departure in Saint-Malo, one of two female competitors Anna-Maria Renken said she was looking forward to the Warm-Up to share the experience of sailing with her onboard guests and as a final test of her Class40 Nivea.
“The warm up is only 130nm, so in comparison with the race it’s not a huge distance,” she said, “but it’s the last time we will get to sail the boats before the start. Conditions are looking fairly light with a north easterly breeze turning north as we arrive. I’m hoping that we will make it to Plymouth in good time.”
Skipper of Multi50 Olmix, French sailor Pierre Antoine said the Warm-Up and the build-up at Saint-Malo was a great way to share the Transat bakerly with the French sailing public and is greatly looking forward to the full 3,000 mile transatlantic race from Plymouth. Antoine bought his first trimaran from Cowes on the Isle of Wight over 20 years ago.
“The Transat bakerly is the reference for transatlantic sailing, but for me it presents a big personal challenge,” the sailor explained. “I sailed in the 1995 edition of the OSTAR aboard a little 40ft Trimaran.
“This is year I am back with a bigger boat which brings with it bigger challenges. The boat is very physical to sail and in strong weather conditions we could sail very fast.”
The Transat bakerly sets sail from Plymouth on Monday, May 2nd at 14:30 BST. The race is contested by 24 boats in four classes – Ultimes, IMOCA 60s, Multi50s and Class40s – plus Loick Peyron sailing Pen Duick II.
The official race village opens on Plymouth Waterfront on Friday 29th April. The boats will be docked and available to be viewed by the public at Sutton Harbour Marina and Plymouth Yacht Haven.
Ahead of the crews lies one of the most iconic and challenging race courses in sailing with the winds and swell against them plus the likelihood of freezing fog and ice to avoid, as they make their way from Europe to America.
For more on the race click here.
The Transat bakerly 2016 fleet
CLASS40 – 10
Phil Sharp/Imerys
Robin Marais/Espirit Scout
Edouard Golbery/Normandie
Isabelle Joschke/Generali – Horizon Mixite
Armel Tripon/Black Pepper
Louis Duc/Carac
Hiroshi Kitada/Kiho
Maxime Sorel/V&B
Thibaut Vauchel- Camus/Solidaires en Peloton – Arsep
Anna-Maria Renken/Nivea
IMOCA 60 – 6
Vincent Riou/PRB
Richard Tolkien/44
Armel Le Cléac’h/Banque Populaire VIII
Sébastien Josse/Edmond de Rothschild
Jean-Pierre Dick/St Michel Virbac
Paul Meilhat/SMA
ULTIME – 3
François Gabart/Macif
Yves Le Blevec/Actual
Thomas Coville/Sodebo
MULTI50 – 5
Pierre Antoine/Olmix
Gilles Lamiré/French Tech Rennes St Malo
Lalou Roucayrol/Arkema
Erwan Le Roux/Fenêtrea – Cardinal
Erik Nigon/Vers un monde sans sida
PEN DUICK II
Loïck Peyron/Pen Duick II
Photos
The Transat bakerly - Saint Malo
The Transat bakerly Race Village in Saint-Malo.
© Daryl Ly
St Michel - Virbac Sailing Team
World class skipper Jean-Pierre Dick will skipper St Michel-Virbac in The Transat bakerly 2016
© Y.Zedda/StMichel-Virbac Sailing Team
Sodebo - Thomas Coville
French skipper Thomas Coville will race Ultime Sodebo in The Transat bakerly 2016.
© Yvan Zedda
Macif - François Gabart
François Gabart and Macif are one of three Ultime teams competing in The Transat bakerly 2016.
© Alexis Courcoux
Fenêtrea Cardinal - Erwan Leroux
Multi50 skipper Erwan Leroux will race Fenêtrea Cardinal in The Transat bakerly 2016.
© JEAN MARIE LIOT
Actual - Yves Le Blevec
Yves Le Blevec will race Ultime 'ACTUAL' in The Transat bakerly 2016.
© Th.Martinez/Sea&Co
Louis Duc - Carac
French skipper Louis Duc will race Class40 Carac in The Transat bakerly 2016.
OLMIX - Pierre Antoine
Pierre Antoine racing Multi50 OLMIX.
© Laurent Rannou
Anna-Maria Renken - NIVEA
Anna-Maria Renken, skipper of the Class40 NIVEA
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