Transat Jacques Vabre 2013, MOD70 & Multi50

The Transat Jacques Vabre is set to start on the 3rd of November. This year will see the MOD70's Edmond de Rothschild, Oman Air and Virbac Paprec compete in the two handed format as well as a strong field of the Multi50's Actual, Arkema-Region Aquitaine, FenetreA Cardinal, Maitre Jacques,RENNES METROPOLE / SAINT-MALO AGGLOMERATION, Vers un monde sans SIDA

The TJV website is here:

http://www.transat-jacques-vabre.com/fr

Facebook link is here:

https://www.facebook.com/Transat.Jacques.Vabre

 

^^^

Corley, do you know anything more about why Ravussin's and Desjoyeaux's boats aren't taking part? Is it simply due to a lack of sponsor money?

Whatever the reason, it besmirches this so-called 'Ultimate World Class', when also Dona Bertarelli's and the US-based Mod70's are similarly inactive.

 

^^
No sponsor coin from what I've heard to race their boats it's pretty tough times on that front.

I'm glad on the MOD70's that the strictly fully crewed stance has been dropped and that with modifications for double handing they are able to compete in the TJV. The initial program was too limiting for what should be a general purpose racing multihull.

 

SailingNews videos on the MOD70 and Multi50's in the Transat Jacques Vabre

The MOD70's

http://youtu.be/aDmYflxU2Cw



The Multi50's

http://youtu.be/BWGDPkhIXY4

 

Good article from bymnews on the very competitive Multi50 fleet

http://bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=124588

 

A little more Multi-50 info...

http://www.courseaularge.com/articles/26549/Six-Multi-50-prets-a-s-elancer-du-Havre.html

Aloha...

 

The race is set to start on Monday from Le Havre. The Multi50's will depart on Monday the MOD70's will leave on Wednesday.

http://bymnews.com/news/newsDetails.php?id=124806

 

The race start has been delayed for all divisions till Wednesday or Thursday another big low in the Bay of Biscay.

 

Not a good year for sailing the western approaches.

Seems. Gale force winds have become permanent in the region


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The latest press release notes that the race will start for all classes at 1300 hours local time on November the 7th.

http://www.transat-jacques-vabre.com/en

 

The TJV is underway. The tracker is here: http://tracking.transat-jacques-vabre.com/fr/

 

The MOD70's are well in front as would be expected it looks like they will match race all the way to Itajai. The top four Multi50's are starting to pull away from the fastest monohulls with Actual currently in the lead.

 

Glad to see you holding the fort Corley!

I just now took my first look at this race, have been otherwise distracted.

lol

(I paid a fellow - its true! - to deliver two pallets of 30sq meters of 2-inch thick slate, each piece weighing around 200 lbs. Have been shaping them to fit exactly together with a hammer and chisel for the last 3 weeks. I'll probably never do anything so daft again. my elbows are complaining mightily, and I'm only about 1/4 done)

So I'm happier than usual to now have a race to follow. I'm putting my money on Gavignet to take line honors!

Looks like they'll have up to 30 knots headwind past Finisterre tonight. There's something to be said for virtual reality, instead of being there...

 

...

The MOD70's should be getting into the AIS zone near Finisterre in a couple of hours. Here's the link to the AIS maps.

 

The Multi50 Maitre Jacques has been forced to retire with float bow damage on the starboard side they are now headed to Corunna in Spain. Too bad as the first four Multi50's were having a close race.