Charlie Dalin and Yann Eliès on Apivia, have won the IMOCA class of the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre.
They crossed the finish line in the off Salvador de Bahia on Sunday, November 10, at 00:23:00 (UTC) for a total time of 13 days 12 hrs 8 min after leaving Le Havre, France.
Apivia covered the theoretical course of 4,350 miles at an average speed of 13.42 knots, but actually sailed 5,061.85 miles at an average speed of 15.62 knots.
The Dolrums were the key to their victory.
Charal (Jérémie Beyou / Christopher Pratt) had seized the lead and seemed to be remorselessly extending it. Apivia’s position seemed precarious as they entered the Doldrums with 11th Hour Racing (Charlie Enright / Pascal Bidgorry) having chased them down in the trade winds and drawn almost level.
But the Doldrums changed everything. Charal’s lead peaked at 120 nm on November 5 at 11:00 (UTC). Nobody could imagine at this time the worst-case scenario waiting for the black foiler.
Dalin and Eliès had the intuition and knowledge to shift 50 nm to the east. They were barely stopped while Charal stalled for days.
Apivia emerged on November 7, already making 15 knots.
The second-placed boat was no longer Charal but Banque Populaire (Clarisse Cremer / Armel Le Cleach), 225 nm behind. The Doldrums had cost Charal over 400 nm.
Nothing was being taken for granted but for the last 1,000 nm Apivia were literally coasting to victory.
Sunday 10 November – Leaders at 09:00 hrs FRA
Multi50
1 – GROUPE GCA – MILLE ET UN SOURIRES (Gilles Lamire / Antoine Carpentier) – Finished
2 – Solidarias en Peloton – Arsep ( hibaut Vauchel-Camus / Fred Duthil) – Finished
3 – PRIMONIAL (Sebastien Rogues / Mattieu Souben) – Finished
IMOCA
1 – Apivia ( Charlie Dullin / Yann Ellis) – Finished
2 – PRB (Kevin Escoffier / Nicolas Lunven)
3 – Charal (Jérémie Beyou / Christopher Pratt)
GBR
7 – Initiatives-Cœur (Samantha Davies / Paul Meilhat)
13 – Malizia II (Boris Herrmann / Will Harris)
23 – Campagne de France (Miranda Merron / Halvard Mabire)
25 – Pip Hare Ocean racing (Pip Hare / Ysbrand Endt)
Retired – Hugo Boss (Alex Thomson / Neal MacDonald)
Class40
1 – Credit Mutuel (Ian Lepinski / Adrien Hardy)
2 – Leyton (Sam Goodchild and Fabien Delahaye)
3 – Aïna Enfance and Avenir (Aymeric Chappellier / Pierre Leboucher)
