New starts: Sunday is still under study for IMOCA boats. Nothing before Monday for Class40 and Ocean Fifty boats.
In a press briefing at midday, Francis Le Goff, race director, and Gildas Gautier, co-director of the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre, outlined the various departure scenarios for the boats currently immobilized in Le Havre and Lorient.
“The latest weather analysis is just finishing. No window is foreseeable before Monday for the two classes of boats moored in the port of Lorient, which of course does not mean that a departure will take place on Monday. For the IMOCA boats, Sunday’s possible start remains under consideration. Conditions are still tough, with air and sea. We’re going to work with the class to see how we can envisage it in calm conditions. It’s also possible that, in the event of a start, a way-point will be set up to avoid the very exposed northern routes. The same applies to the Class40s and Ocean Fifties.”
Francis Le Goff sums up the possibilities of new starts for IMOCA, Class40 and Ocean Fifty boats to join the ULTIMs currently at sea. As Gildas Gautier reminds us: “We’re all frustrated and disappointed, and the financial impact on the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre is manifold. But as was the case last Sunday, the safety of the boats and the sailors will remain the priority in organizing these new departures”.
For the time being, the organization of the Route du Café has its eyes riveted on Ciaran’s passage overnight and tomorrow in the Atlantic and English Channel.
“Special instructions have been given in the two ports concerned,”continued Francis Le Goff at midday. “A logistics team is in Lorient to support those of Sellor. Individual solutions have been found by Julien Bothuan (Lorient La Base’s main harbor master) to ensure that no boats are sculling. In Le Havre, a large part of the Race Direction and the sea team are on site. The pontoons have been removed so that the boats are in line with the wind and not across it as it rotates to the west (…) The dismantling of the village has been speeded up so that nothing can fly around, and trucks have been set up to act as a screen. There will be another round this afternoon”
