Four classes, four courses, four winning duos means for four times the emotion
On Sunday October 26, the ULTIM, the Ocean Fifty, the IMOCA, and the Class40 divisions will start their TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie at 15 minutes intervals. Four consecutive starts will ensure the excitement and drama is prolonged and the spotlight falls equally on each class. The competing duos, pairs of co-skippers – will be setting off on the Route du Café each following different courses which should see the four winning pairs arrive in Martinique at the same time and so enjoy the same focus and excitement.
Key points:
- 4 starts, 4 courses, 4 winning duos
- Grouped finishes of the classes in Martinique, estimated between November 5 and 7
- Delivery back across the Atlantic under sail is now mandatory (no more returns by cargo ship)
- The skippers’ presentation conference will take place on October 16 in Le Havre
A SEPARATE START FOR EACH CLASS
Each edition of the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR experiences the same high levels of emotion. The excitement builds to a peak a few minutes before the start for the sailors on the water and for the spectators. And that excitement should be multiplied by four on October 26 off in Le Havre/In the early afternoon, each class will answer their start gun every 15 minutes and then follow a short coastal course. These staggered starts now offer each class better visibility on the water for visitors along the coast, as well as on the screen for television viewers. For over an hour, everyone will have a prolonged show on the water. And starting separately for the multihulls and monohulls is also a better guarantee of safety for the skippers.
4 COURSES, 4 WINNING DUOS
Once the starts have been given, the sailors will set off on the Atlantic, following in the historic wake of the coffee traders. They will have to deal with the unpredictable strong winds of the winter depressions of the North Atlantic before finding the trade winds.Even with slightly shorter courses the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR remains the longest and most demanding transatlantic race. The gaps between the boats in the same class are expected to be small, strategic choices will have to be significant and so a constant battle all the way through the classes is on the cards. With very distinct courses for each class there are four races on at the same time with four winning duos rewarded at the end.
The ULTIM: 6,200 nautical milles (between 10 and 14 days)
The ULTIM will start with a first, fairly long phase taking them to the “Ascension” waypoint in the southern hemisphere, which they will have to leave to starboard side. Then, they will go up along the Brazilian coast to reach Martinique. The two passages of the Doldrums can decisive.
The Ocean Fifty: 4,600 nautical milles (between 10 and 14 days)
The Ocean Fifty will go down to Cape Verde, leave the island of Sal on the starboard side, before going to find the trade winds, heading for the West Indies. The passage through the islands promises to be quite testing as there are always corridors of wind and calms.
The IMOCAs: 4,350 nautical milles (between 10 and 14 days)
The IMOCAs will be straight into battle with a fast and tight descent to the Canaries. After leaving the archipelago on the starboard side, the strategic choices is always between the northern option to get closer to the depressions or the southern option towards the trade winds.
The Class40s: 3,750 nautical milles (between 12 and 16 days)
The Class40s will benefit from a more direct westerly course than the other classes, which will allow for a more open game, provided they find the right passage through the Azores high, after leaving the archipelago on the starboard side.
The first winning duos are expected around November 5.
The finish line in Fort-de-France in Martinique will close on November 20.
New eco-responsible commitments
Faced with the climate challenge and thanks to its reputation, the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie must, more than ever, be innovative and set examples. For the 2025 edition, the Route du Café has made new commitments to continue to limit its carbon footprint:
- The delivery back under sail is mandatory (end of returns by cargo ship – art. 24 of the notice of race)
- The presentation press conference will be organized in Le Havre, the day before the opening of the village, to avoid travel by skippers and the organization to Paris.
- Public relations operations on press motor boats will be limited on the day of departure. A unique experience on land will be offered, in the company of sailors and local stakeholders.
- Our partnership with IFREMER allows the race to be part of an approach that respects the ocean and its biodiversity.
About the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie
The TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR Le Havre Normandie is the longest and most demanding of the transatlantic races. Every two years, the skippers set off in pairs from the port of Le Havre to coffee-growing countries.The adventure was born in 1993, from a partnership between the city of Le Havre and the JDE Peet’s group, owner of the L’OR brand.Through committed choices in all dimensions of the race (sporting, partnership, operational, communication), the TRANSAT CAFÉ L’OR association wishes to be a key player in the transformation of ocean racing for greater accessibility, sustainability and popularity. By exploring the imaginaries of ocean racing, it wishes to show a way towards a more sustainable and inclusive world, while continuing to transmit dreams and a taste for audacity
https://www.transatcafelor.org
@TransatCafeLOR
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