NOL:2009070410-W

THE CHARENTE-MARITIME/BAHIA TRANSAT 6.50
WEATHER DETAILS BY DENIS HUGUES
RACE'S DIRECTOR
o 17th edition of The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50
o 84 sailors at the start, 52 French and 32 foreigners
Fil info: Created in 1977 by Bob Salmon, the 17th edition of The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 starts on Sunday the 13th of September 2009 at 14h17 off the coast of the Charente-Maritime to Salvador de Bahia (Brazil) via Funchal (Madeira / Portugal ). 84 skippers starting with 7 women and 32 foreigners from 12 countries. A mythical single-handed race without external assistance of 4200 nautical miles (7800 km). Two classes of boats: the prototypes and the series boats crossing the Atlantic, a tactical and technical route, crossing the Bay of Biscay, the doldrums, the trade winds of the southern hemisphere.
A tactical and technical course
Bay of Biscay, down along the Portuguese coast, approaching the archipelago of Madeira, through the Canaries and the Cape Verde, the approach of the doldrums, manage the heavy showers and then the calm Ecuadorian, the trade winds from southeast... The Charente-Maritime / Bahia is not just a long sprint in the trade winds of the North Atlantic, but a clever mix of weather conditions.
"The race course of the 17th The Charente-Maritime/Bahia Transat 6.50 is now known by all the competitors. A first step where the Minis will cross the Bay of Biscay. This step may be very fine if the weather is favourable, with downwind. However, if low pressure come to them, they will then be obliged to tack and head northwest to find the rotation of the winds, a classic situation in the Gulf. Along Portugal, if competitors catch the "Portuguese trade winds", then everything can be very fast! But if the sailors meet muzzler, the descent of Portugal may be difficult with high sea. The continental shelf is very near the coast and the sea's floor goes up from 4000 meters to 100 meters in a very short distance, so the roller of the open sea changes fast to breaking waves when the weather is bad. Competitors will arrive from the East to Madeira to avoid the lack of wind of the island - especially at night the wind will become softer - before ending up in the South. The arrival will be very interesting and very stressful and tactical for sailors.
The second leg, which will start on October 3rd, will bring the fleet to the Southern hemisphere. To do so, they will move down to Canary Islands where there will be no mark. There will be opportunities between the islands of the archipelago, where wind increase in speed occurs very frequently. But be careful to the important windfall due to relief of some islands (Tenerife whose peak lies at 3,700 meters causes wind fall up to 30 miles). Competitors will be sailing in a system of trade winds to Cape Verde. Here, the positioning of the Minis while crossing the archipelago will determine their direction while arriving in the doldrums. The crossing mark will be located between the island of Maio, the Easter one in the archipelago and the island of San Antao the most West. This mark will allow the fleet to meet up for safety reasons. It will then belong to them to find the best position possible to get to the doldrums, the inter-tropical convergence zone where the winds of the Northern Hemisphere meet those from the Southern Hemisphere. This is a particularly tricky zone where boats can stay for long hours with no wind and suddenly experience a 50 knots heavy shower! Awareness at all times is necessary to leave this area the fastest. Some competitors may be trapped and surprises can occur during this part.
After the crossing of the Equator, and after having made the traditional donation to Neptune, competitors will find the trade winds from southeast, which will lead them up to Salvador de Bahia. The best option is to sail as much possible in the west at the equator and at the doldrums and get out the most east. A rough situation because the prevailing winds in the Southern Hemisphere will be east and southeast! In 2003, there were many surprises three days prior to the arrival. Some leaders dismasted because of a stationary front on Salvador de Bahia generating a strong swell... Nothing is ever finished! Of course, all the competitors will be expected with the same fervour from the first to the last on the pontoons of Salvador de Bahia! "
La Charente-Maritime /Bahia Transat 6.50 2007's podium:
PROTO
1. Yves le Blevec on Actual (n° 624) - 23 days 3 hours 51 minutes & 24 sec.
2. David Sineau on Bretagne Lapins (n° 348) - 24 days 59 minutes & 22 sec.
3. Fabien Despres on Soitec (n° 617) - 24 days 4 hours 19 minutes & 25 sec.
CLASS BOATS
1. Hervé Piveteau on Jules - Imprimerie Cartoffset (n° 518) - 26 days 4 hours 31 minutes & 17 sec.
2. Stéphane le Diraison onCultisol - Institut Curie (n° 539) - 26 days 16 hours 34 minutes & 24 sec.
3. David Krizek on Atlantik ft (n° 516) - 26 days 18 hours 15 minutes & 37 sec.
High definition pictures available upon request.
Things to Remember in The Charente-Maritime / Bahia Transat 6.50
Departure date: Sunday 13 September 2009
Course: Off the coast of Charente-Maritime / Funchal (Madeira) / Brazil
Number of Miles travelled: 4200 miles or 7800 km
Number of Boats: 84
Organization: Grand Pavois Organization
Presence of boats: from the 3rd of September
Race's village: from the 9th to the 12th of September from 11 am to 19 pm at the Bassin des Chalutiers