Originally scheduled for this Sunday, November 3rd at 1302hrs (local time Le Havre), the start of the eleventh edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre may be postponed due to the difficult weather situation which is forecast for what would be the first night at sea for the monohulls. The decision as to when the start will take place will be announced during Saturday late morning 2nd November. At the skipper’s briefing this morning, the organisers of the Transat Jacques Vabre told the assembled crews that they will delay the final decision until Saturday. In fact part of the reason for the uncertainty is that the three main weather models which were presented by Météo France’s Richard Silvani, Arpeggio, GFS and CEP, do not concur on the timing and exact track of the Atlantic low pressure which is due to pass up the Channel. If it tracks close to the channel as some models suggest then winds with be average 35kts, gusting to 50kts but if it tracks further to the north then winds will be a more manageable 20kts.
And so the organisers of this 11^th Transat Jacques Vabre have chosen to wait until the next update of the weather models and decide after tonight, and so the start times and dates for the monohulls will be announced Saturday morning as will decisions about the Mulihulls’ prologue and the timing of the starts for the Multi 50’s and MOD70’s.
**Manfred Ramspachers, sports director of the Transat Jacques Vabre: “We will take the time to consider all potential situations. A major depression will pass this weekend and the ideal weather window will be difficult to pinpoint. Our goal is to preserve the fleet at what can be the most sensitive, difficult phase, after the race start. The Transat Jacques Vabre is a test of professionals but also of amateurs who have made their own sacrifices to make the start. We want to see the maximum number of boats reach the finish in Itajaí. We don’t want to see damage to the fleet on the first night.“
*Sylvie Viant, race director of the Transat Jacques Vabre:* “The U.S. weather model gives a more favorable prognosis for the night from Sunday to Monday status. And if that model prevails the the monohulls could leave on Sunday as planned, performing a coastal prologue or heading directly to Itajaí. Otherwise the prologue could be canceled and a start set for the monohulls and perhaps Multi 50 on Monday. The start of the MOD70 could be given Thursday or earlier. In any case, it does not seem reasonable to send off boats upwind in gusts up to 55 knots into shipping traffic and strong currents. Safety and security considerations are the key to our decision.”
*Village life – Itajaí come to Le Havre
*A Brazilian delegation from Itajaí arrived in the Transat Jacques Vabre willage this morning. The Deputy Mayor of Itajai, Dalva Maria Rhenius met Edouard Philippe, the Mayor of Le Havre. A shared desire connects the two mayors and the cities which make the 11^th edition of the Transatlantic doubly significant. Former winners muster to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Transat
Jacques Vabre.
Today, all the past champion skippers winners of the event were invited to the village to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the race. Among those who attended were Alain Gautier, Jean-Pierre Dick, Roland Jourdain, Karine Fauconnier, Marc Guillemot, Michel Desjoyeaux, Yves Le Blévec , Erwan Le Roux and others.
