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The Transat
Start, Plymouth, 2.Mai 2016
www.thetransat.com - Übersicht -
Fotogalerie
Video Gabartz
11.05.2016
Coville makes it to New York as runner-up in the Ultime class
Thomas Coville, one of the great French solo sailors of recent times, became the second competitor to finish The Transat bakerly this morning when he brought his Ultime trimaran, Sodebo, to the finish at New York.
After a voyage from Plymouth of eight days, 18 hours and 32 minutes, the 48-year-old who has completed seven circumnavigations of the world plus numerous transatlantic races and record-setting voyages, finished just nine hours, 37 minutes and 23 second behind class winner Francois Gabart on Macif.
Coville’s giant multihull crossed the finish line in the dark off Sandy Hook at 09:02:02 BST, having travelled a total of 4,656 nautical miles through water at an average speed of 22.11 knots.
He may be the runner-up, but Coville put on an astonishing display of big boat solo racing as he matched Gabart for much of the voyage, despite sailing a heavier boat.
The two sailors raced either in sight of each other, or just a few miles apart, for hours on end as they swooped low into the tradewind belt south of the Azores looking for the fastest passage across the Atlantic.
Speaking at the finish Coville said he was delighted to have been involved in such a close contest with his younger rival. “It was a fantastic battle with François,” said a magnanimous Coville on the dock. “I think François is a fantastic and worthy winner.
“I’m competitive, so of course I’m disappointed not to win, but when you lose to a winner like François, and you have the chance to compete against such a great sailor, it’s also an achievement. You have to be honest and say, he was better and I’m very lucky to have raced against such a guy.”
Coville said he loved the great competition and the speed of the race, and being part of a major event in the early history of the Ultime class.
“It’s the first time I think that a southerly route has been faster and safer,” he said. “The northern route was not an option for us. The south was an easier route as well; it was fast and we almost beat the race record, even sailing an extra 650nm, which really shows you how fast it was because we took a long, long route.
“Every race is different, sailing is such an unpredictable sport and that’s why I love it,” he added. “For a few years we have been dreaming about a race like this, solo across the Atlantic on Ultimes, and today I think our dreams are realised. I’m very happy to be a part of this new class history.”
On seeing the dramatic New York City skyline, Coville gave an insight into the contrast he had experienced. After being alone at sea for nearly nine days he was overwhelmed to find himself in the heart of one of the great cities of the world. “You have to imagine a man on board by himself and suddenly you just arrive into a city like New York where it’s crowded - there are helicopters, lots of traffic and tall buildings - it’s very emotional and you share that with all of your team. It’s a really nice destination; I think Plymouth to New York is a good idea,” he concluded.
As Coville finished, the third-placed competitor in the Ultime class, Yves Le Blevec on Actual, is 255 miles from the line.
Elsewhere in The Transat bakerly fleet, Isabelle Joschke has managed to establish a lead of six miles in the competitive Class40 battle. In second place British skipper Phil Sharp on Imerys, who celebrates his 35th birthday today, is now nine miles ahead of third-placed Thibaut Vauchel-Camus on Solidaires en Peloton-Arsep.
Also celebrating his birthday today is Armel Le Cléac’h who still leads the IMOCA 60 fleet, now well to the west of the Ice Exclusion Zone and about 280 miles southeast of the coast of Nova Scotia. Le Cleac’h on board Banque Populaire is 40 miles ahead of the chasing Vincent Riou on PRB and 154 miles ahead of Jean-Pierre Dick on St Michel-Virbac in third.
In the Multi50s, Gilles Lamiré on French Tech Rennes St Malo still holds his lead over the four-boat fleet and is now 235 miles ahead of rival Lalou Roucayrol aboard Arkema. Roucayrol is currently assessing his options after his boat hit an object in the water, damaging a daggerboard.
Just over 768 miles from the finish line, the Multi50s are expected to be the next class to hit the dock, on or around May 14th.
Track the race here.
PROVISIONAL STANDINGS
The class rankings at 1600 BST - updated every four hours
ULTIME
1. François Gabart/Macif - 8 days, 8 hours, 54 minutes and 39 seconds at sea
2. Thomas Coville/Sodebo - 8 days, 18 hours, 32 minutes and 2 seconds at sea
3. Yves Le Blevec/Actual - 255.5nm to the finish
IMOCA 60
1. Armel Le Cléac’h/Banque Populaire - 708.7nm to the finish
2. Vincent Riou/PRB - 40.88nm to the leader
3. Jean-Pierre Dick/St Michel Virbac - 154.09nm to the leader
MULTI 50
1. Gilles Lamiré/French Tech Rennes St Malo - 768.2nm to the finish
2. Lalou Roucayrol/Arkema - 235.10nm to the leader
3. Pierre Antoine/Olmix - 486.47nm to the leader
CLASS40
1. Isabelle Joschke/Generali-Horizon Mixité - 1327.3nm to the finish
2. Phil Sharp/Imerys - 5.68nm to the leader
3. Thibaut Vauchel-Camus/Solidaires en Peloton-ARSEP - 14.44nm to the leader
IMAGES
Click to download the images below. For all official race images in high resolution, please click and sign up here.
VIDEOS
To download official race and onboard footage from The Transat bakerly 2016, please click here.
CONTACTS
OC Sport
Nicola Dawson
nicola.dawson@ocsport.com
+44 (0)78157 04020
OC Sport
Emma Harris
emma.harris@ocsport.com
+44 (0)7795107744
THE SKIPPERS
ULTIME
François GABART (MACIF)
Thomas COVILLE (SODEBO)
Yves LE BLEVEC (ACTUAL)
IMOCA
Jean-Pierre DICK (ST MICHEL VIRBAC)
Richard TOLKIEN (44)
Vincent RIOU (PRB)
Sébastien JOSSE (EDMOND DE ROTHSCHILD)
Paul MEILHAT (SMA)
Armel LE CLEAC'H (BANQUE POPULAIRE)
MULTI 50
Pierre ANTOINE (OLMIX)
Gilles LAMIRE (FRENCH TECH RENNES ST MALO)
Lalou ROUCAYROL (ARKEMA)
Erwan LE ROUX (FENETREA CARDINAL)
Erik NIGON (VERS UN MONDE SANS SIDA)
CLASS40
Anna-Maria RENKEN (NIVEA)
Thibaut VAUCHEL CAMUS (SOLIDAIRES EN PELOTON)
Maxime SOREL (VandB)
Louis DUC (CARAC)
Isabelle JOSCHKE (GENERALI - HORIZON MIXITÉ)
Hiroshi KITADA (KIHO)
Armel TRIPON (BLACK PEPPER/LES PETITS DOUDOUS)
Edouard GOLBERY (RÉGION NORMANDIE)
Robin MARAIS (ESPRIT SCOUT)
Phil SHARP (IMERYS)
OTHER CATEGORY
Loïck Peyron (Pen Duick II)
NOTES TO EDITORS
The Transat bakerly is the world’s oldest solo transatlantic race, originally know as the OSTAR (Observer Singlehanded Trans-Atlantic Race), and was created in 1960 by a handful of pioneering sailors. Over time The Transat, as it is known today, has evolved and now serves the professional end of offshore sailing. But there are few modern day races that can reflect on such a long and outstanding history.
In 2016, the race will set sail from Plymouth, UK on May 2, for New York and the brand new ONE*15 Brooklyn Marina. 25 entries from four classes will compete; Ultime, IMOCA60, Multi50 and Class 40.
Sailing counter-clockwise against the gulf stream and the wind, sailors can expect to face big swells, tricky currents, quick-changing weather patterns and even icebergs.
The title partner to the race is bakerly, a new brand of French inspired bakery goods. 'bakerly' is a US subsidiary of the French industrial food group Norac.
Race records: Monohull IMOCA 60 record: 12 days, 11 hours and 45 minutes set by Loick Peyron (FRA) on board Gitana in 2008. Multihull 60ft record: 8 days, 8 hours, 29 minutes set by Michel Desjoyeaux (FRA) on board Géant in 2004.
www.thetransatbakerly.com
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