On Sunday morning, the 48 competitors in The Transat CIC (13 in Class40, 33 in IMOCA, 2 in Vintage) will leave Lorient for New York to write a new page in the prestigious history of this race. Whether you're on land, on the coast, at sea or behind your television screen, there are plenty of ways to follow the start of The Transat CIC at 13:30!
IN LORIENT LA BASE, ON THE COAST AND AT SEA. Entertainment everywhere!
You'll have to get up early on Sunday to see the skippers say their goodbyes in the Start Village, which opens at 8am. Competitors who wish to do so will be able to greet the public one last time on the stage between 8.30 and 11.30 a.m. before heading to the pontoons. The first skippers will leave Lorient La Base at 9.30 am.
FAIAOAHE, Rémy Gérin's boat, will be the first to cast off. The other competitors will follow suit one by one every two minutes. Among the Class40 favourites, Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel) will set off at 9h32, Ambrogio Beccaria (Alla Grande - Pirelli) at 9h44, Alberto Bona (IBSA) at 10h48. Jean Le Cam (Tout commence en Finistère - Armor Lux) will be the first to set off in the IMOCA class (10h50). Yoann Richomme (IMOCA Paprec Arkéa), Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal), who are among the favourites in the IMOCA class, will leave the pontoons at 10h38, 10h22 and 10h54 respectively.
Spectators who have the opportunity to watch the sailors leave the pontoons at Lorient La Base will then be able to follow the start on a giant screen set up close to the stage. To admire the boats under sail, you'll have to focus on the Lorient channel and the surrounding coastline to see them reach the start line opposite Lomener. The start should take place between the Kerroc'h lighthouse and a buoy around a mile to the south of it. For those taking to the sea, the organisers would like to remind you of the necessary rules of caution, in particular by keeping your distance from the competitors. In conjunction with the Préfecture Maritime, a restricted and prohibited zone has been defined around the start line.
Read the note to boaters here.
© OC Sport Pen Duick
ON LAND. A start to follow on all screens!
The start will be at 1.30pm. It will be broadcast on France 3 Bretagne and Nouvelle Aquitaine from 12.55pm. The Chaîne L'Equipe and two local channels, TV Monaco and 8 Mont Blanc, will also be broadcasting it.
On the Internet, the live video will be broadcast on the France Télévisions and Télégramme websites and on France 3 Bretagne's YouTube channel. It will also be available on the official website www.thetransat.com and Facebook account. Abroad, the live broadcast will be available in English on Olympic Channel, TV Malta, Canal Deporte and on The Transat CIC's YouTube channel, so that all sailing fans can follow the start of this legendary race.
THE TRIBUTE. Éric Tabarly on everyone's mind
On the eve of the start, The Transat CIC will be paying tribute to the man who started it all: Éric Tabarly. A legend of ocean racing, he gave the race its letters of nobility and helped democratise sailing thanks to his two iconic successes in 1964 and 1976 in the Transat Anglaise, the forerunner of The Transat CIC. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of his first victory in this race, a number of events will be organised on Saturday afternoon, including a visit to the Eric Tabarly Cité de la Voile for the single price of €5 and a tour of the pontoons where the Pen Duicks are moored, in collaboration with the skippers of the Eric Tabarly Association. In the afternoon, two films will be screened in the auditorium of the Cité de la Voile: Rendez-vous à NewPort, retracing the 1964 victory, and PenDuick VI de père en fille, filmed during the Ocean Globe Race, which was brilliantly completed by Marie Tabarly and her crew. Marie will also be on hand for a number of discussions with Gérard Petipas, who has sailed many Pen Duicks.
Register virtually for the race here.
VIRTUAL REGATTA. D-2 for all !
With just 2 days to go to the start of The Transat CIC, sailing and gaming aficionados are in the starting-blocks. And they're not the only ones, as more and more companies are organising private races for their employees as part of in-house challenges, or offering boats in their colours to gamers. This is particularly true of CIC, Title Partner of The Transat CIC, Crédit Mutuel and Lorient Agglomération, Principal Partner of the race. Registration is now open and will remain so for the duration of the race.
© OC Sport Pen Duick