Transat Jacques Vabre: the 79 boats set off to storm the Atlantic

On the pontoon of the Vatine basin, Rose hugs her dad again and again. Marius, bundled up in his blue jacket, got on board. It is 9 am this Sunday in Le Havre and the first boats are escaping towards the starting line. Jean Galfione, the father of Rose and Marius, is about to leave the pontoon in his turn. The hugs are long. The Olympic pole vault champion in 1996 in Atlanta offers himself a dream conversion. Serenis Consulting, his partner, allowed him to build a new boat, aboard which he embarks his friend Éric Péron. Crossing the Atlantic will be far from being a piece of pleasure for those who have developed a passion for sailing by following the adventures of Roland Jourdain, Jean Le Cam or Michel Desjoyeaux. Hollows of 2 meters accompany the 79 boats, up to the line.

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Everywhere, along the Vatine basin, the emotion is the same.

The crowd is large for this first sailing race without a start behind closed doors.

On the pontoons, families and friends flock to send kisses to the skippers.

Marie Riou, multiple world champion in Olympic sailing, is expected on the boat La Boulangère, by her teammate Amélie Grassi, who is already dreaming of the Route du Rhum, another crossing of the Atlantic, but alone this time.

Marie comes running.

“It is 9:24 am, the departure from the pontoon was scheduled for 9:27 am, they are early!

She laughs.

Last hugs.

A thermos of tea reaches the boat, the last link with the land for the two young women, who after a slight false start at the engine level, move away towards the channel.

"We are already soaked"

At 12:30 pm, Éric Péron and Jean Galfione are approaching the starting line.

"Lots of wind and a disgusting sea", summarizes Eric.

"It seems to calm down a bit", believes Jean.

Suddenly, the two sailors avoided lunch.

“We are taking advantage of the last moments before to establish the plan for the next few hours, to properly align ourselves with the maneuvers to be carried out.

But we are already soaked, ”explains the former pole vaulter.

We must also be careful not to collide with the many boats, those of the competitors but also the followers.

"It is pride to be there, but also the emotion to leave those close to you, even if it is only for two or three weeks, estimates Jean Galfione.

This adventure, we live it together, with Catherine and the children.

»Thousands of people positioned themselves on the coast of Sainte-Adresse and on the cliffs of Étretat, to see the boats.

“I don't really know where my relatives will be positioned, I don't really know the neighborhood,” jokes Jean.

The road to Sainte-Adresse being already congested, Catherine, his wife, tried to find a place easier to access.

At 13:27, the big start was given for the 79 boats entered.

The first arrivals in Martinique, on the other side of the Atlantic, are expected in two weeks.