The oldest of the ocean races, the English Transat set off this Sunday from Lorient, after eight years of absence, due to Covid. Now The Transat CIC, this sailing monument won by the greatest French sailors (Peyron, Desjoyeaux, etc.) presents a route to New York that is often much more muscular than the usual transatlantic crossings landing on the sunny shores of the Antilles. And this 2024 edition should be no exception to the rule.

Because after a start off the coast of Lorient in light conditions (12 to 15 knots) and the first twenty-four hours announced as rather pleasant, a first front will strengthen the game of the 48 sailors in the running, 33 in Imoca monohulls, 13 in Class40 and 2 in vintage category. “It will be quite calm for 24 hours before an initial depression passes. Then, like all English deckchairs, the best routes go north, towards Ireland and the Fastnet”, confirms Franck Cammas, attentive observer of this race which will allow a good number of sailors to ensure their qualification for the next Vendée Globe (departure November 10).

“Tuesday, we will have an important choice to make to manage a small low pressure center, it could create quite a gap in the fleet,” explained Charlie Dalin (Macif). “It’s going to be a lot of work with a lot of maneuvering,” added Jérémie Beyou (Charal). “It will be as if we were following stages of La Solitaire du Figaro,” concluded Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkea), with the three men clearly among the favorites.

Like Clarisse Crémer, others will aim above all for the finish line in New York then during the transatlantic return to France, to ensure their place at the start of the next solo world tour, even if it means putting ( relatively) in parentheses their level of performance, just to avoid crippling mechanical breakdown. “I only have one goal: to finish both races,” said Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane) this week to Le Figaro. To finally be selected for the Vendée Globe. I only think about this. Ultimately, I am not going to look at the position of the other competitors. So, we put back our old foils to preserve the most recent ones for the Vendée Globe. So I would have a speed deficit upwind, I accept it, even if I know it will be difficult to live with. » Nothing compares either with the accusations of cheating from which she was acquitted this winter.