Europe 1 with AFP 6:42 am, November 24, 2021
Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier won the Transat Jacques Vabre on Tuesday in the category of the fastest boats in the world, the Ultimes, capable of flying at insane speeds. The French tandem, aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 16 days and an hour, ahead of the duo François Gabart and Tom Laperche.
Two great sailors aboard a giant of the seas: Franck Cammas and Charles Caudrelier won the Transat Jacques Vabre on Tuesday in the category of the fastest boats in the world, the Ultimes, capable of flying at insane speeds.
The French tandem, aboard the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild, entered the bay of Fort-de-France in Martinique victorious after spending 16 days and an hour crossing the Atlantic.
They dominated the race in the Ultimes, one of the four classes entered on this transatlantic race.
A "well done" victory for Cammas and Caudrelier
Nine hours after the triumph of Cammas and Caudrelier, François Gabart and Tom Laperche (SVR Lazartigue) finished their journey (16 days 9 hours) in front of the pair Armel Le Cléac'h and Kevin Escoffier (Maxi Banque Populaire XI), to whom they took second place while nibbling miles during the last forty-eight hours of crossing.
The Ultimes, these majestic and ultra-fast 32-meter flying sailboats, returned to major offshore races after having been seriously damaged during the Route du Rhum in 2018, marked in particular by the loss of a boat. And the one helmed by Cammas and Caudrelier since the summer of 2019 was the best performing among an elitist fleet of five maxi-trimarans. Escorted by dozens of small boats, the huge sailboat was greeted at the pontoon by three cannon shots from the Fort Saint-Louis naval base in addition to guests and an audience of journalists.
"It's a great race to remember. We didn't have very difficult conditions, they were psychologically difficult, especially in the Bay of Biscay" because of the lack of wind which forced the skippers to make many strategic decisions .
"But physically we could sleep well, it was not extremely muscular conditions," said Cammas, delighted with a "well-conducted" victory with his colleague Caudrelier.
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Fourth victory for Cammas, third for Caudrelier
"These are formidable boats which have enormous potential for racing and technique in general, it can make an incredible spectacle," said Cammas, a sailor of many exploits and the first skipper to tour the world under the 50 days (Trophy Jules Verne in 2010). The 48-year-old sailor signed his fourth victory in the Transat Jacques Vabre (2001, 2003, 2007, 2021). Caudrelier, winner of the crewed round-the-world race (Volvo Ocean Race in 2017/2018), won him a third success in the Transat Jacques Vabre (2009, 2013, 2021).
The Ultimes podium was completed with two new boats, launched this year and participating in their first big race.
"This morning (Tuesday), it was crazy! I was crying at the helm so it was good. It was going super fast. The sensations, it's just extraordinary. These boats fly on the water", rejoiced Gabart, welcomed during the night by a few hundred people but also by Cammas and Caudrelier.
Some demonstrators close to the place of arrival
On Monday, the first boats arrived in Fort-de-France, those of the Ocean Fifty class (15 m multihull), which have a course a third shorter than that of the Ultimes. Sébastien Rogues and Matthieu Souben (Primonial) won in this class. In the bay, the atmosphere is rather calm while the island is experiencing a series of protests at the call of trade union organizations protesting in particular against the compulsory vaccination of caregivers. The village, quite empty of public, had been invaded for half an hour on Monday by some demonstrators.
On Monday evening, the race management had decided to secure the boats that had arrived following an "alert from a possible rally".
Five police vans were near the pontoons on Monday evening.
The police presence was more discreet on Tuesday.
After the Ultimes, the spotlight will be on the Imoca (the Vendée Globe boats, 18 m monohull), whose podium will be played a priori on Thursday, then on the Class 40 (12 m monohulls), expected on November 30.
The fifteenth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre left on November 7 from Le Havre (Seine-Maritime) with 79 boats at the start, four of which abandoned.