Bound for Brazil !

As scheduled, the 14th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre kicked off this Sunday at 12:15 UTC in the Baie de Seine. Like their rivals, Giancarlo Pedote and Anthony Marchand promptly set a course for Etretat to round a windward mark prior to really getting their teeth into the 4,350-mile course towards Salvador de Bahia, in Brazil. Beginning their race on a beat, they then linked onto downwind conditions which are gradually set to pick up to 25 knots as they make their way towards the north-west tip of Brittany. As a result, it’s set to be a rapid exit from the English Channel before they hit the first major hurdle at the start of the week in the form of a big low pressure system currently sprawled across the middle of the North Atlantic. This static system is literally blocking the way, which is likely to cause the fleet to adopt a variety of trajectories, potentially leaving them strewn about the ocean. With regards to the Italo-French pairing, which has its sights firmly set on finishing the race with a boat in good condition and racking up both miles and experience for the Vendée Globe, they already have a firm race plan in mind. “A transatlantic race is like no other”, explained Giancarlo Pedote a few days before the start, when referring to his first two participations in the Transat Jacques Vabre. That’s a fact and the current rather unusual weather situation in the North Atlantic is a reminder of that. “Traditionally, at this time of year, disturbed weather systems sweep across the Atlantic enabling the skippers to make headway to the West and then the South as the fronts roll through. This year, the big low pressure system is stationary and is really blocking the path forward”, explains Richard Silvani from Météo France. The skipper of the 60-footer in the colours of Prysmian Group and his co-skipper Anthony Marchand have had their eye on this sealed zone of low atmospheric pressure for several days, well aware that it may constitute the first major point of divergence in terms of trajectories. “We’ve been very focused on the grib files. We’ve dissected every new weather model so as to really get a good mental picture of the course, so we have each phase engraved in our minds and can ensure we’re on the right pace”, commented Giancarlo, before leaving the pontoons of Le Havre this Sunday. “The situation is not well-established yet, though we do know the broad outline. On a positive note, the first 24 hours of racing are forecast to be rather nice, with downwind conditions to exit the English Channel, even though we’re going to be punching tide at the Cotentin headland and Le Raz Blanchard. That will doubtless force us to hug the coast, Figaro-style almost, though you naturally need to be a bit more careful with an IMOCA given its deep draught (4.5 metres). As we make our way towards the tip of Brittany, the wind will continue to build and then we’ll have to negotiate our first low pressure system before the arrival of a second system off the back of that. It’ll be an important phase as we’ll have to make a choice and for now the routing suggests there will be a significant divergence,” explained Anthony, the duo clearly having to decide whether to make headway towards the South or get around to the West of the system. Sailing your own race
So will we see a big split opening up between the fleet and will some skippers take the risk of considerably extending the route on the hunt for very steady winds? At this stage, it’s anyone’s guess, but in Giancarlo’s mind, even though no option can be ruled out, there is no question of taking senseless risks. “For us, the objectives for this transatlantic race are to get the boat sailing at 100% of her polars (by which he means 100% of her potential), to always ensure we’re carrying the right sails, to make good trajectories and to finish the race with the boat in good condition in Brazil”, explained the Italian sailor, who is keen to avoid setting himself any precise limits in terms of a result. “There are five new boats at the start which, according to the conditions, are capable of making headway between 3 and 5 knots faster than ours. We’ve known since the start that there are going to be two or even three races within the race. As such, we’re going to endeavour to do our best with the weapon we have, without losing sight of the fact that this Jacques Vabre event serves as a qualifier for the Vendée Globe so it’s very important we finish it”, comments Giancarlo, whose competitive spirit is well documented. “I’m setting sail with the same mindset that I had during the Bermudes 1000 Race (a singlehanded event in which he finished 3rd back in May), as I do with every race I take part in. I obviously want to give some meaning to this experience and keeping moving forward”, concluded Giancarlo Pedote, who should take between 14 and 15 days to make Salvador de Bahia according to the latest routing.