1993 - First solo Transat Jacques Vabre
The first one was held in 1993 Transat Jacques Vabre which is then run alone. 13 skippers are setting off from Le Havre for Cartagena in Colombia - eight monohulls and five multihulls - including Yves Parlier, Alain Gautier, Loïck Peyron, Gerry Roufs, Paul Vatine, Laurent Bourgnon and Francis Joyon.
In the multihulls, after a difficult start, Laurent Bourgnon and Paul Vatine are fighting a merciless battle. And it was the latter who finally won the race after 16 days and 46 minutes, although he was 1 hour and 17 minutes late. But Paul Vatine was hit by a shock with an assistance tyre, which earned him nine hours and ten minutes of bonus.
In monohull, Yves Parlier won this first edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre. He is perfectly negotiating the Azores high, is playing with the high pressure from the South and is definitely losing his rivals. He arrived in Cartagena in eighteen days, 23 hours and 38 minutes, a little more than 30 hours behind Alain Gautier.
This first edition was also marked by the capsizing of navigator Marie Sergent, who was quickly rescued.
1995 - The formula is doubled
Between the Route du Rhum and the Transat, the solo format is not necessarily convincing. And the big double-handed races that made the great days of the transatlantic races of the 80s are no longer relevant. Gérard Petipas and Jacques Vabre then turned to Pen Duick to organise this transatlantic race, now reserved for two-handed crews. Eleven starters are registered, including some former participants such as Paul Vatine, Loïck Peyron, Laurent Bourgnon, Francis Joyon... but also Jean Maurel, Cam Lewis, Éric Dumont, Roland Jourdain or Jack Vincent.
Six monohulls and five multihulls are on the starting line. The weather conditions are particularly favourable since just over two weeks later, Paul Vatine is back on the list of winners, this time accompanied by Roland Jourdain with only 36 minutes of advantage on the Francis Joyon duo - Jack Vincent, Laurent Bourgnon and Cam Lewis taking third place on the podium three hours later while Loïck Peyron associated with Franck Proffit has dismasted.
In the monohulls, the Jean Maurel and Fred Dahirel tandem largely dominates the race with more than a day's lead in Colombia, over the Jean-Yves Hasselin and Hervé Besson duo.
1997 - An essential part of ocean racing
With one event every two years, the Transat Jacques Vabre is an essential event for ocean racing skippers. A craze confirmed by the 18 boats on the starting line.
36 sailors are on the starting line and the 50-foot monohulls and multihulls that aim to create an intermediate step between Figaro and 60 feet are also on board. The Atlantic is particularly agitated and contrasted and when the first multihulls struggle in light airs after five days of racing, the monohulls face a nasty disturbance with more than 50 knots of wind.
Three multihulls are throwing in the towel, tossed around after the Azores. And it was the Bourgnon brothers who won this 3 e edition more than a day ahead of the Vatine - Nélias duo, but above all improve the reference time by more than six hours.
In monohull racing, Yves Parlier, accompanied by Eric Tabarly, also arrived a day ahead of the Thiercelin - Wavre tandem.
