Sailing: 27 skippers registered for the New York – Les Sables

Through Franck Hermel
Published on 12 Mar 20 à 8:14

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Registrations for the Transat New York-Vendée-Les Sables-d’Olonne, which will take place in June 2020 are closed. And the list of participants in this transat solo announces great celebrations.

27 sailors make up the list of competitors for the second edition of this event between the United States and the Vendée. According to the Imoca class,

A field twice as large as four years ago and ultra qualitative since it will bring together for the very first time the eight new IMOCAs built for the Vendée Globe next November.

This 3,500 mile (6,300km) course will constitute a real “warm-up lap” for the forces present before the Vendée Globe in November. What to help observers in their forecasts.

Five women, seven countries

In 2016, it was Jeremiah Beyou, who won the New York-Vendée-Les Sables-d’Olonne.

There were then 14 participants for this first edition.

They will be almost double this year. On June 16, 27 skippers should be departing from New York. Seven countries will be represented: France, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Japan and New Zealand.

Five women are registered: Clarisse Crémer, Samantha Davies, Isabelle Joschke, Pip Hare and Miranda Merron. The first four are among the five registered in the Vendée Globe with Alexia Barrier.

Heating tower

In addition, the eight Imoca built with a view to Vendée Globe 2020 should be gathered on this race. Jérémie Beyou (Charal) will come to defend his title and try to beat his own reference time (9 days, 16 hours, 57 minutes and 49 seconds).

The other sailors with new Imoca are: Charlie Dalin (Apivia), Thomas Rettant (Advens for Cybersecurity), Kojiro Shiraishi (DMG Mori Global One), Sébastien Simon (Arkea Paprec), Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss), Armel Tripon ( L’Occitane en Provence) and Nicolas Troussel (Corum L’Épargne).

17 boats in the fleet will be equipped with foilers.

For skippers as for the city of Sables-d’Olonne and for the public, this race will serve as an ideal warm-up for the Vendée Globe whose departure is scheduled for November 8, 2020. Some skippers will also see the opportunity to validate their qualification for Everest of the Seas.