COMPLETE INFORMATION ON WWW.TRANSAT650.ORG

You can find the complete information about the

TRANSAT 6,50 CHARENTE-MARITIME/BAHIA 2005

on the official website of the race :

www.transat650.org

During the race follow the skippers on the map,

learn the actuality of the race, consult the meteo...

THE D. DAY !!!!!!

It is today at 5:17 pm, that is 6:17 pm French time, that the fleet of the 70 mini 6,50 will take the departure to Salvador de Bahia for the second leg of Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia 2005.
2 920 miles in official distance are approximately about twenty sea days for the first ones. Will they beat the record of Yannick Bestaven established in 2001 with 18 sea days, him who had benefited from good conditions of glide ? Let's see, knowing that the first days of race should be made "wind in the nose", a new situation for a departure from the Canarian Islands, this archipelago which traditionally proposes trade winds of northeast.
The fleet of the Mini 6,50 should thus leave the pontoons of the Puerto Calero Marina near 3.00 pm today. Approximately one hour will be needed before the whole fleet arrives on starting zone, knowing that the procedure of departure will be launched at 5:09 pm via the committee boat.

RANKING OF THE PROLOGUE "Mini Puerto Calero Regata"

Here under the ranking of the Prologue wich has been sailed Wednesday, October 5th 2005, in front of the Marina of Puerto Calero, Lanzarote.

1 BROSSARD HARDY Adrien
2 POINT MARIAGE LE BLEVEC Yves
3 C2O VOULTOURY Pierre
4 ARMOR LUX GIADU SEBASTIEN
5 ADRENALINE METROPOLE ARC GIRAUD Clement
6 LE GALLAIS SHARP Philip
7 COMPLETE FREIGHT HOCHREUTENER Tobias
8 SET ENVIRONNEMENT DE LAMOTTE Tanguy
9 REGION NORD PAS DE CALAIS DUCROT Cyril
10 VECTEUR PLUS CLAQUIN Aloys
11 SPEEDY BONSAI CARACCI ANDREA
12 ULISSES 65 MUMBRU JAIME
13 et 1rst Série APROTEC MORZINE SOTTOVIA Bruno
14 OPEN SEA / TEAM WORK PELLA ALEX
15 WELLMENTS et 2nd Série LAUREYSSENS Peter
16 LINKERS - LUISINA GINDRE Pierre
17 et 3rd Série JULES SORIN Fabrice
18 METALCO MOBILIER URBAIN CASSANAS Matthieu
19 FDI GROUPE GALLAY Bernard
20 ASSOCIATION LAURETTE FUGAIN BOURRIE Eric
21 VILLE DE NICE DELPLACE Yann
22 WHITTLEBURY HALL BUBB NICK
23 UNE PLACE POUR CHACUN PONTU Sylvain
24 AREAS ASSURANCES LANCRY David
25 ADRIA MOBIL HAINSEK KRISTIAN
26 E. LECLERC BOUYGUES TELECOM DOUGUET Corentin
27 LPO-LIGUE PROTECTION DES OISEAUX SANNIE Mathieu
28 LOP LOP LOULIER Pierre
29 KNAUF-VENDEE LEFEBVRE David
30 CREDIT AGRICOLE SKIPPER CHALLENGE MASLARD Stanislas
31 DCF CHOMBARD DE LAWE Marine
32 TOTEM BOUDAOUD Arezki
33 ZOUKATI LAGRANGE Jean christophe
34 PULCO CROISEL Bruno
35 TCHAO BAUWENS Eric

DNF ADRIA MOBIL TOO

Pricegiving ceremony of the "Mini Puerto Calero Regata".
Mr Jose Calero, builder of the Harbour, and Adrien Hardy, winner of the prologue.

" starting in the best way for sticking on the buttocks of the boys ! "

She’s 25 years old, and nothing really seems to frighten her... And if it is necessary to send the big spinnaker in the breeze as during the departure of Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia, Alexia BARRIER doesn’t hesitate to do it. And if the boat is tilted at its maximum, she just makes a grimace, brings up the spinnaker which trawls in the water and says to herself that it’s the last time such a thing happens ! Because this girl who comes from the match-racing (4th world in 2002) wants to crunch the oceans with her beautiful smile and her sparkling eyes.
16th at Puerto Calero and 14th in the Prototypes ranking, Alexia is only at 14 hours from the leader even if she had an out of order autopilot at the end of the second day. Nothing more to say, she’s in the match... And don’t speak to her too much in a girl language ! Any pretty she is in her Roxy clothes, Alexia indeed wants to finish this Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia and the 13 boys who ended in front of her during this first stage are not going to frighten her, even if " to arrive on the other side will already be a big moment ! ".
Small interview some days before the departure of her first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, knowing that she has already programmed to do the way back to France from Brazil after the next Transat Jacques Vabre on the 60 feet “Roxy”. Two transats in three months, here is what is called to marry the oceans !

Did this first stage teach you things ?
It has me cured of the fear of sailing with the big spinnaker with many wind and I am no more afraid of broaching ! I always knew that I have a solid boat and this first stage confirmed it to me. I didn’t broke anything but my autopilot, which gave up after two days. I had to collapse my spinnaker to go to sleep a little, we can see it looking at my track... I finally well managed my boat and I arrived not too badly placed. As a result, I am more confident and I will be able to go stronger on the second leg and to stick on the buttocks of the boys ! (lol)
16th in the scratch, it’s rather not bad !
I always knew that the boat has a lot of potential even if I was little on the limit this year… it was a little hard... It is moreover thanks to Philippe ( Monnet) that I was able to have more budget from Roxy, what helped me well. Besides, a lot of persons came to La Rochelle to help me at the last moment, what allowed me to concentrate me on the weather report and to leave straightaway...Are you afraid from this second stage?
I am satisfied to restart but I’m also in a hurry to arrive to Brazil. It will be my first crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. I have sailed from the Azores to Marseille already, but I never done a long navigation like that... The first stage was rather simple because we had meteorological files which informed us up to the end. There it is not the same for the second leg and I think that those who already made it have a small advantage.
By the way, concerning the meteo, how do you work?
I worked with Pierre Lasnier (well-known meteorologist and recognized router in the world of the sailing race) on the first stage and we shall make a point on the second stage in the morning of the departure. Working seriously the weather reports removes many fears...

Some stress before the start ?
I have no pressure neither from my sponsors, nor from the persons who surround me... I shall do my best and everybody knows it. Now, if I do not succeed, I know that they will not blame me for it. But I know that I am able to do it... I thought of arriving about 25 at the first stage because the last two days I was really tired. I went a little bit slowly but in fact everybody was in the same mood... Finally I kept my position !

The solitude does not frighten you ?
If ever I feel melancholic, I say to myself that I have to arrive as quickly as possible. If you are not in a good feeling, it has to be as short as possible. Then I make everything to go faster and so I’m always well. I also say to myself that everybody feels the similar. In the first stage, I heard that everybody grumbled... so I said to myself that we are all the same in fact !

Apart your autopilot, did you broke something during the first leg ?
No, I broke nothing... My philosophy is to pay attention on the boat more than on me, and so sometime I forget to eat or to sleep ! There, I was obliged to collapse the spinnaker from 4 to 7 hours and I slept. In fact, I noticed an electric problem between my autopilot and my electronic weather vane. But normally, everything is repaired now and I‘m waiting for a new GPS today.

Why did you come to the solo race ?
The crew was hard to manage and I wanted to do some solo sailing. I always dreamed while hearing about Bourgnon, about Florence ( Arthaud) and I always wanted to do it too ! On the other hand, the fact of having done match-racing before teaches a lot because you are broached every 3 seconds. You multiply the operations and you always push the other one to the fault. As a result, the operations in Mini are easier… except the spinnaker in the breeze ! (Smile). But, it is promised, I shall not put it any more in the water !

Departure of the second leg at 5:17 pm on Saturday, October 8th

It is said : the start of the second stage towards Salvador de Bahia will be given at 5:17 pm, local time.
A departure without any buoy to turn for the 70 competitors still on race, straight down on the way to the archipelago of Cape Verde distant from 900 miles.It is thus at 5:17 pm (that is 6:17 pm French time), that the 70 Minis 6,50 participating to Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia will take the departure of Lanzarote towards Salvador de Bahia. A direct departure in front of Marina of Puerto Calero towards Cape Verde islands, which will thus be lived with the conditions of wind at the time of the departure. No systematic up wind start, but maybe a down wind start or a reaching one considering the most common conditions here in the Canarian Islands. The procedure of departure will be launched at 5:09 pm, 8 minutes before the gun bang.

Among the important precision to notice : the starting line will stay opened 30 minutes and the total time of authorized stopover will be of 72 hours, as on the first stage. The competitors will leave with compulsory 100 litres of water on board, the whole material having been controlled by the official measuring president.

The course presented by the Race Direction will be as follows : starting line, passage through a door located in Cape Verde bounded by the island of Santo Antao to leave on starboard (right-hand side) and the island of Maio to leave on port (left). Fernando do Noronha’s archipelago is to be left on starboard. Let us remind that the route will be 2 900 miles and that the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) we can hope for a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean is about 18 days, so we expect an arrival in the state of Bahia October 25th or 26th 2005.

24 years separate them...

If the oldest Mini 6,50 registered on this race was born in 1981, the youngest is from the year. 24 years separate them, without speaking about the sum of technologies which differentiates them. Winner of two Mini-Transats, the one of 1981 and the one of 1987, the number 19 is in the hands of Nicolas Charmet, whereas the proto born in 2005 under the number 551 is under Bernard Gallay's command.

Number 19 on the hull and in the mainsail, “La Ligue contre le Cancer” belonging to Nicolas Charmet is the oldest boat of this Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia 2005. Born in 1981 under by the pencil of the architect Jean Berret, this prototype of the 80’s is certainly not comparable to the Minis from the new generation in matter of speed, but it is a confirmed, sure and healthy boat. For proof, it already won two Mini-Transats, first in the hands of Jacques Peignon and then in the ones of Gilles Chiorri. " It is a old boat declares the holder of the Trophy Jules Verne on Orange I in 2002. It has a rich history... When it signed its first victory in 1981 in Jacques Peignon's hands - an adventurer - it was at the conclusion of a particularly difficult race. The race still left England at this time. It was marked also sadly by the death of a competitor. It is a healthy and well-balanced boat. I remember that when I made the Mini-Transat, we had a lot of down wind, and this proto showed itself particularly stable and reliable in these speeds. I am particularly happy to know that this boat is going to navigate again, and in good conditions. I know that it was restored, but it will always wear with him a history, the one of the Mini."
Some figures concerning the crossings and the victories of this boat: Jacques Peignon's crossing, winner in 1981 was : 32 days, 20 hours and 22 minutes in the average speed of 5,18 knots on the course Penzance/Tenerife/Antigua. Gilles Chiorri's crossing, winner in 1987, was made in 30 days 06 hours and 41 minutes in the average speed of 5,52 knots on the course Concarneau/Tenerife/Fort de France.

In contrast, there is the “FDI Group” of Bernard Gallay (who participated twice to the Vendee Globe), which was built in March 2005. This plan Manuard (number 551) is the most recent Mini 6,50 of the fleet of 72 participants in Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia 2005. They are two boats to have been born in 2005, the other one belonging to David Lancry's (Aréas Assurances – FRA 454) from a Dejeanty’s plan. Bernard Gallay's boat possesses number of technological innovations. A wing rotary mast in carbon high module, the tube - as we say - weighs 28 kg nude for completely equipped 32 kg. A true record with Aloys Claquin's mast (Vector Plus) which weighs less than 30 kilos ! The rigging is of course in PBO and we find under the water two carbon rudders, a swing keel falling over of 35 degrees with regard to the axis. The bulb is situated two metres under the water and weighs 360 kilos. Two asymmetric daggerboards in carbon are placed in front of the mast, without forgetting naturally two ballasts of 150 liters each to assure power in up-wind and reaching. The bowsprit measures 3,50 metres length, in carbon of course. In other words Bernard has the means to make speak about him !!
Is this second stage going to reveal all the potential of this boat ? To follow... knowing that the ocean experience of the sailor should completely express herself from Saturday.

Race against the clock...

Everyone has is own race in this Transat 6,50 Charente-Maritime/Bahia : adventure of a life for some, first level of the offshore race towards a professional world for the others, race against the others and against the clock for all. Because, whoever we are, we always look at the classification to watch the upstairs neighbour... Small look on the rankings.



Maybe you did not click the right button, but in the classification you find the ranking for Series Boats and Protos further to this first leg. We remind that in the general classification, the winner in each of the categories of this Transat 6.50 will be the one who will realize least time to cross the global course, with the time accumulated on both stages. So, what do we notice after this first 1 300 mile section ?

Concerning Series boats, besides the Peter Laureyssens's (Wellments) magnificent victory in 7 days 03 hours and 48 minutes in the average speed of 7,6 knots, it is necessary to see that Sylvain Pontu (Une Place pour Chacun) is only in 44 minutes and 35 seconds behind. Less than one hour between first and the second. The third is Eric Bauwens (Retina France) at 4 hours 56 minutes and 10 seconds. Times which, on the scale of what waits for skippers : a crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, are only a droplet in this ocean. The last one, Jean-Christophe Lagrange on Zoukati is in 2 days 14 hours of the leader.
Concerning Prototypes boats, Corentin Douguet (E. Leclerc-Bouygues Telecom) gone through 1300 miles in the crazy average speed of more than 8 knots. A very fast route which will enter the annals of the race... Sebastien Gladu ( Armor Lux) is only at 1 hour and 15 minutes behind and Yves Le Blevec (Point Mariage) is at 3 hours from the leader. Yves who is surfing on the Canarian waves in Famara at the moment to change his mind… The first foreigner is Phil Sharp (Le Gallais). He is at 5 hours and 16 minutes from the winner of the competition. A Phil who already begins to look at the weather report and at the winds charts... Motivated guy ! They are 8 skippers to be within ten hours of delay, Tanguy de Lamotte (Set Environment pour Mécénat Chirurgie Cardiaque) being at 10 hours and 30 seconds from the leader.

Other interesting info : they are 25 to be less than one day from the winner : Nicolas Marchand (IUT de Nimes en Septimanie) being at 11 hours and 33 minutes from Corentin. The last one in Proto category, Nicolas Charmet arrived yesterday on the oldest boat of the fleet (Ligue contre le Cancer), spent 6 days and 3 hours more that the winner, what is almost the double of time to go from Charente-Maritime to Puerto Calero. It is necessary to say that Nicolas made one stop in Cascaïs to repair...

The pontoons atmosphere in Puerto Calero

The life gets organized to Puerto-Calero ( Lanzarote).
Everybody goes of his/her small daily way of life there, knowing that the total priority is to recondition the boat before starting again next wide Saturday, October 8th.

Each has his own activity and everybody is working hard on pontoons to recondition and fix everything.
We empty boats, we change stays and ropes, we dive under hulls, we verify appendixes, we wait for parcel from France (sails, accastillages etc...) and friends of some arrive with luggage loaded with pulleys and other items...
Others already have prepared boats and only the supply will be to embark at the last moment. So they can study the map of the island to find spots of surfing or funboard or to see where to catch the ferry to go on Fuerteventura, the island placed next to Lanzarote, with its known and very well-known spotlights of windsurf as Corralejo or Sotavento. For the most curious, direction Graciosa with a great spot of surfing tendency high level and a little bit secret...

Diving in the marina for Juan-Carlos Sanchis Mari (ESP403 - Spasmos),
in order to check the hull...

Cleaning of the boat for Nicolas Marchand (FRA432 - IUT de Nimes en Septimanie),

Fixing of the ropes in front of Pépito (FRA80) for Frédéric Roux

Michel Goyat repairs his main sail (FRA318 - Groupe Infodis)

Address of the Race Office in Lanzarote

The reception desk in Puerto-Caléro / Lanzarote is open from September 25th to October 9th.
Tél : +34 928 849 564 Fax : +34 928 513 122

You can send letters in Lanzarote at the following address :
Oficina TRANSAT 6.50
SKIPPER's NAME + SAIL's NUMBER
Edif. Antiguo Varadero
Planta Alta
Urbanizacion Puerto Calero
35571 MACHER LANZAROTE / ISLAS CANARIAS / SPAIN

We disadvise you to send parcels, they sure will arrive after the departure of the skippers for the second leg of the race...

THEY ARE ALL THERE !

Nicolas Charmet (19) arrived at Puerto Calero at 11:19 am today local time. All the boats are thus at destination and we registered two abandons on this first stage for reason of broken mast : Cian Mac Carthy (393) in the first night of race, and David Le Carrou (498) later.

They are 70 to be moored in the marina of Puerto Calero this Friday, September 30th. Nicolas Charmet (Ligue contre le Cancer) arrived at the end of morning at 11:19 am - that is 12:19 am French time. His race duration was 12 days 19 hours and 02 minutes and 30 seconds and he arrived 6 days 03 hours and 17 minutes after the first one, Corentin Douguet (E. Leclerc-Bouygues Telecom).

During this first leg, we registered two abandons. The one of Cian Mac Carthy (The Tom Crean) and the one of David Le Carrou (Tréport - Tirard and Burgaud). Both broke their mast and if David had broken his mast in the first floor of spreader, Cian had had to release his whole mast, keeping only the boom on board.

Let us remind that the departure of the next leg, which will bring the 70 skippers on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean towards Salvador de Bahia, is scheduled, on Saturday, October 8th.