IBSA

A spectacular start, on Sunday, April 28 at 1:30 pm for the transoceanic regatta Transat CIC, one of the most demanding tests for solo sailors, who are called to face very tough conditions on their way to New York after over 3,000 miles of navigation, starting from Lorient, Brittany (France).

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The 48 registered skippers – divided into the IMOCA (33, some equipped with foil), Class40 (13) and Vintage (2) categories – positioned themselves along the starting line, in the channel between the Breton coast, before the small town of Lomener, and the island of Groix. After heading South East, on a course designed by the regatta director with the aim of making the start of the transoceanic race spectacular and safe, the skippers began their ascent of the Breton coast.

A conservative start for Alberto Bona on the Class40 IBSA, at his eighth regatta with the Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company. Starting with a lot of sail area, after rigging the gennaker and the solent at the bow, Alberto found himself unable to luff much, remaining for the first stretch in the middle of the fleet, led first by Ambrogio Beccaria (Alla Grande Pirelli), who then left his leading position first to a wild Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio) and then, at the end of the first hour, to Nicolas D’Estais (Café Joyeux), who at the start also had fewer square meters of sail surface at the bow and was very determined to stay ahead of the group.

After about ten miles of navigation, the first tack took the skippers towards the North West, en route to the bay in front of Concarneau; in this phase Alberto gained a good position within the fleet, positioning himself to windward and increasing speed. After leaving the Glénan archipelago – an area very complicated to navigate due to the currents – on the left, the teams manoeuvred again opposite Concarneau, before leaving the influence of the mainland South of Brest and heading for the open sea. After about eight hours of navigation, it was therefore time to say goodbye to the Breton coast and turn the bow in the direction of the South of Ireland, in search of the first low to address, and from which to gain sustained winds – even up to 35 knots – and therefore greater speed.

The wind was found just before dawn today, when the first disturbance brushed the Class40s: finally the boats started running. Bona reached fourth position, less than five miles from the first, a minimum distance that shows how the best navigators in the class have signed up for this regatta, and how the entire race will be played on very small gaps, despite the great distance to cover.

“It will be a balanced and very tough regatta,” had declared Alberto shortly before the start. “The difficulty of sailing at high latitudes has in fact selected the skippers: those taking part in this regatta are very expert, have a perfectly prepared Class40 and are aiming for victory. There are thirteen of us, and at least nine have an equal chance of climbing to the top step of the podium, which makes this regatta both challenging due to the weather conditions and exciting from a sporting perspective. The best a solitary navigator could wish for.”

Giorgio Pisani, Vice President IBSA Group and leader of the project Sailing into the Future. Together, also attended the start of the regatta, on Sunday, April 28: “It’s always a great emotion to see the Class40 IBSA setting sail,” he stated. “Our skipper Alberto Bona has included in the third year of our project the most complex and demanding regatta, as can also be seen from the small number of participants in Class40: the best thirteen. I believe that there are all the conditions for experiencing another wonderful adventure together, one that will require courage and commitment. Arriving in New York is certainly symbolic, the right finish line for the most difficult regatta.”

With a travel time expected between 13 and 15 days from the start, the 13 Class40s will face several lows in the coming days. They will have to navigate in extremely complex conditions, due both to very high waves – which can reach up to six metres – and to very low temperatures. The organisers established no navigation areas, in particular around the Azores islands – to protect cetaceans – and along the Canadian coast, to avoid entering zones with icebergs and where fishing vessels are more numerous. The skippers will therefore have to find the best route to reach the finish line – 130 miles off the coast of New York – as quickly as possible, thus bringing the European ocean sailing under the Statue of Liberty.

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