The skippers were already in their wet weather gear when the news broke. The IMOCA boats are staying in port. No start this Sunday, the weather forecast in the Bay of Biscay is too violent.

In the space of a few minutes, the 40 IMOCA teams found themselves without a starting scenario, without a proposed plan B for sheltering in port, without leaving the dock to the cheers of the public and without being broadcast live on television.

In short, there wasn't much to share apart from mixed feelings of relief at the terrible weather, frustration at seeing their friends leave and incomprehension that it had been decided so late...

So we had to adapt, as sailors often do. How to transform the disappointment into a warm moment for the guests, partners, friends, family and teams, stuck on land and deprived of the show.

For the time being, a plan B on land had been prepared this week by the permanent teams of the IMOCA Class and several teams, led by Éric Bellion's Stand As One, who could see that they needed to get organised just in case.

Well inspired, no less than 400 people gathered in a room in the Carré des Docks, close to the boats. The skippers stopped by to chat with each other and, from a sporting point of view, commented live on the start of the other three classes.

Now, the race has begun for some of the skippers and we'll have to wait for the storm to pass in a few days' time before we can finally see the IMOCA boats in action! To relive the day in pictures, Flore filmed everything!