The Transat Jacques Vabre will start from the port of Le Havre on October 27, 2019. Arrivals are scheduled from November 6 or 7 in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. This race features three boat classes: Class 40, Imoca and Multi 50.
After the notice of race was issued on December 8, 2018, the Transat Jacques Vabre received a request from the Ultimate class to welcome them to the same event. Indeed, these large trimarans were originally supposed to organise a round the world race a few days after the Jacques Vabre. However, given the number of breakages during the last Route du Rhum, the competitors are running out and the race is cancelled. The last Ultimate competitors whose boats are still sailing were therefore hoping to join the Transat Jacques Vabre.
No space at the port for the Ultimates
If the race committee has studied the issue in the first place, it ends up not accepting these devices from the open sea. There are several problems with the arrival of large trimarans. First of all, the port of departure and arrival with the difficulty of welcoming these tall ships.
At the start in Le Havre, the boats are welcomed in the Paul Vatine basin. But in the state of development of the basin, it is not possible to accommodate the Ultimates. Thus, the trimarans would not be integrated into the closed and secure village of the Transat Jacques Vabre, making them inaccessible to the general public.
The same goes for the port of Bahia on arrival. The Ultimates could either be moored at anchorages in the outer harbour or in front of the Yacht Clube da Bahia. Both proposals pose real security problems due to the distance between the two sites, heavy traffic and the lack of security guards
The Ultimates go too fast...
But it is above all the difference in speed of the boats that is a problem. If all the boats start together on the same course, the Imoca and Multi 50 can expect quite similar speeds and very close arrival dates. It's ideal for the host city. To make the Ultimates arrive at the same time it would be necessary to make them run a longer course, thus blurring the visibility of the race.
The delay of a departure for the Ultims is an option that has not been chosen, because the weather conditions at that time (October-November) cannot guarantee the departure date.
No ultimate for the Jacques Vabre 2019
"Unfortunately, we cannot welcome the Ultim in optimal technical and safety conditions. In addition, communication, the history of the two-course race would be complicated to explain to the media and the general public, and therefore difficult to understand. The arrival of the Ultims would not meet the requirements of the organization and its founding partners: the city of Le Havre and Jacques Vabre, in terms of welcome, safety, media coverage and sharing with the general public," explains Gildas Gautier, Executive Director of the Transat Jacques Vabre Association.
