In this category, there were 16 boats in 2011, and not far off three times that twelve years later. The figures reveal all. The Class40 fleet has grown considerably over the years. As in the IMOCA class, there has been a leap forward in terms of quantity but also quality. “This is a crazy fleet and it is hard to make any forecasts,” said Yoann Richomme, winner of the Route du Rhum in Class40, who knows all about these boats. In the list of those of those hoping to win the race, we cannot avoid mentioning Ambrogio Beccaria, who has developed an incredible boat and is capable of sailing her particularly well, allowing him to make it to the podium ever since the start of the season. In terms of the race, the name of the skipper from Milan and the Alla Grande Pirelli, winner of the 2019 Mini-Transat joined by Nicolas Andrieu for his first attempt, keeps popping up, as does the pair on Crédit Mutuel with the co-skippers, Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier, who have between them clocked up four wins in this race. We need to keep an eye to on IBSA with Alberto Bona and Pablo Santurde Del Arco, winner of the race in 2021, and indeed on all the expert Figaro racers that have joined in.
Figaro racers out in force
Yoann Richomme admits that after the Figaro, it was easy moving up to Class40 “to learn about high speeds.” Many other Figaro sailors took the step and were won over by this circuit, which opens the door to ocean racing. That was the case for Alexis Loison (La Manche # Evidence Nautique, with Nicolas Jossier) and Guillaume Pirouelle (Seafrigo Sogestran, with Cédric Chateau). It is similar for the pairs on Amarris (Nebout-Mahé) and Groupe SNEF, comprised of sailors who have experience in the one-design circuit. “It looks so much like the start of the Solitaire,” joked Xavier Macaire, co-skipper of the latter. “When we head off, there will be twenty of us in with a chance of winning. Favourites and outsiders. Without piling on the pressure, that reminds me that we are going to have to do particularly well. It is common for Figaro racers to see a large number of strong competitors without feeling afrid of that,” said the skipper who has been joined by Pierre Leboucher, who is sailing “as if sailing solo but with a strategy we drew up together.” The same goes for the pairing of Delahaye-Douguet (Legallais), which did not have the time to settle in with the brand new scow launched in late August, but they both have a lot of experience, particularly from one-design boats, to be able to get out in front. “There are a lot of new boats and technically the standard is very high, but we are sailing double-handed, which levels out things. This will be our tenth trip aboard this new scow. She is a development from the Lift V2, which has already shown what she can do and has already been through tough conditions. We are not worried about our ability to withstand what lies ahead after the start of the race,” said Fabien, winner in Class40 in 2011.
Quantity, quality, diversity
Having said that, it is important to stress that the class works well because of its great diversity. That is particularly so when sailing double-handed, when the pairings only work if the couple works well together. That is the case for Edenred, with the young, talented Basile Bourgnon, 2nd in the last Solitaire du Figaro joining up with the sailor-businessman, Emmanuel Le Roch. “There are a huge number of boats that could make it to the podium. This is the way into racing between the IMOCAs and the Figaros,” confirmed Tanguy Leglatin, trainer at Lorient Grand Large. The coach who works alongside skippers looking for performance, has gone over to the other side for this transatlantic race aboard Everial with Erwan Le Draoulec, winner of the Mini-Transat. As a skilled observer of the fleet and the sailors taking part, although as a newcomer, he adds: “There are always owners who enjoy themselves in these transatlantic races with very decent boats. They have managed to keep costs down in comparison with the IMOCAs, so the class has found its place. It has managed to keep the owners-amateurs with some solid skills.” This is an opinion shared by the relentless Kito de Pavant, who has clocked up eleven attempts. “I have done all the Transat Jacques Vabre races this Century - in Orma, IMOCA, Multi50 and Class40. The class has been through a real revolution with 45 new boats built in three years with skippers who don’t come merely from Figaro racing, but also from the Olympic and Mini circuits. The standards have well and truly been raised, as the boats are so attractive. This is one of the classes where the podium places will be most hotly contested, even if it is going to be tricky for the boats with pointed bows. We can expect some surprises with so many eager youngsters,” commented the skipper from the Mediterranean, who will be alongside the experienced doctor, Bertrand Guillonneau, aboard a new generation boat that has been well prepared and will be up there in the battle of the scows.