After several weeks of refit this winter, the IMOCA skippers will be back in action with a very demanding course in the North Atlantic during The Transat CIC, from 28 April. It's an ideal route to make the boats more reliable and improve their performance. With a start in Lorient, where many of the teams are based, and a prestigious finish in New York, all the ingredients are in place for a race that is as competitive as it is prestigious.
A legendary race, a demanding course, a fight at every level, a 'home' start for most in Lorient, a sumptuous finish in New York... The CIC Transat is a condensed version of the best we can hope for the IMOCA boats, who will be using it to launch their 2024 season. With its course in the heart of the North Atlantic, the competitors are preparing for a tough and bitter battle, as they will have to make headway essentially upwind to the finish. All in all, it's the ideal race to test your mettle, make your boats more reliable and build up your power.
The IMOCA fleet will include 33 boats at the start in Lorient for The Transat CIC - © Alexis Courcoux
Who will succeed Armel Le Cléac'h?
As The Transat CIC has not been raced since 2016, the question is who will succeed Armel Le Cléac'h in this IMOCA category. Winner eight years ago, just a few months before winning the Vendée Globe, the yachtsman from Saint-Pol-de-Léon posed an equation which is bound to give some people ideas. Among the favourites for this new edition is Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance). Winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race last year, the sailor from Le Havre was forced to give up the two transatlantic races at the end of 2023 and will therefore be taking part in his first solo race since the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe. "Paradoxically, The Transat CIC is much harder on the body with the numerous manoeuvres to be carried out," he explained. Opposite him, Yoann Richomme (IMOCA Paprec Arkéa) and Jérémie Beyou (Charal), 1st and 2nd respectively in the Retour à la Base race in December, also appear to be in with a chance of victory. Among the outsiders, Sébastien Simon (Groupe Dubreuil), Nicolas Lunven (Holcim-PRB), Boris Herrmann (Malizia-Seaexplorer) as well as Yannick Bestaven (MAITRE COQ V) could play spoilsport, as could Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team Snef) and Sam Davies (Initiatives-Cœur).
Charlie Dalin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance) registered for The Transat CIC - © M.Horlaville
Justine and Sam are among the four women on the starting line, along with Isabelle Joschke (MACSF) and Clarisse Crémer (L'Occitane en Provence). On the international front, there are ten foreign skippers. Among them are Switzerland's Oliver Heer (Oliver Heer Ocean Racing) and England's James Harayda (Gentoo Sailing Team), who will be competing in their second solo transatlantic race, continuing their apprenticeship. The match will be as intense for the foilers as it will be for the straight daggerboard boats, represented by Benjamin Ferré (MONNOYEUR - DUO FOR A JOB), Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com) and Louis Duc (Fives Group - Lantana Environnement), who will be taking part in The Transat CIC for the third time (2008 and 2016 in Class40). For the 33 skippers lining up at the start, each time there is an idea of progress, the desire to gain experience, to give their all while enjoying an iconic course and a majestic finish.
Guirec Soudée (Freelance.com), IMOCA dinghy, registered in the race - © Vincent Curutchet
In The Transat CIC, there will be no waypoints, which will leave it up to the sailors to decide on their trajectory. The shortest and most direct route is via the North, heading towards Newfoundland, although this is not necessarily the fastest. On the programme then: upwind sailing, rather uncomfortable conditions and, above all, the need to work non-stop in an intense sprint. The frontrunners could finish in the space of eight days. It promises to be a thrilling and exciting race from Lorient to New York!
