The entries have closed and 67 teams with 134 skippers in three classes  (Class40, Mulit50 and IMOCA) will depart from Le Havre on October 27 for the start of the 14th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre.

The 67 duos are getting ready to head for Salvador de Bahia in Brazil on the 4,350-mile ride across the Atlantic. It is a journey full of bravery, commitment and teamwork that characterises the Transat Jacques Vabre, the world’s blue ribbon double-handed ocean race, where both skippers and boats are pushed to their full potential.

The 2019 edition will see a strong international flavour to this historic Route du Café tracing the coffee trading routes. There are new boats, mixed crews, young rookies and old campaigners. There are all the ingredients to make the longest transatlantic race another classic. With the entries now closed, here are the competitors that fans will find moored in the Bassin Paul Vatine Basin in Le Havre, from Friday, October 18 to Sunday, October 27.

“This edition promises to be exceptional; we have a record number of skippers, with 67 competitors on the start line in Le Havre, and an especially high level of competition,” Gildas Gautier, managing director of the Transat Jacques Vabre, said. “We will make every effort to make this 14th edition an unforgettable one for all the duos.”

IMOCA: an exceptional fleet

Of the 34 crews registered, 6 latest generation IMOCA will race to Brazil. All eyes will be on Alex Thomson’s new British rocketship, Hugo Boss, the VPLP design made in England. Likewise, Jérémie Beyou’s Charal (co-skipper Christopher Pratt) should be flying at the front. But there is also Thomas Ruyant’s stunner designed by Guillaume Verdier and built in Italy; the brand new Arkea Paprec skippered by Sébastien Simon (co-skipper Vincent Riou, twice a winner in 2013 and 2015); Charlie Dalin’s Apivia (co-skipper Yann Eliès, winner 2017), also designed by Guillaume Verdier; and finally Japan’s Kojiro Shiraishi, skippering the sistership of Charal. The fleet is full of the great and the good of sailing determined to fly across the Atlantic faster than the 2017 winners, Jean-Pierre Dick and Yann Eliès (13 days and 7 hours).

We will not want for stories of men or women in this packed class, with so many fascinating and experienced duos. Britain’s Sam Davies, making her fifth appearance, will have Paul Meilhat (winner of the 2018 Route du Rhum and second in the last edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre) as co-skipper on her competitive, Initiatives-Cœur. Clarisse Cremer, a Route du Café rookie, has Armel Le Cléac'h, the 2016-17 Vendée Globe winner, as her co-skipper. Britain’s Miranda Merron and her partner on earth and ocean, Halvard Mabire, will sail together for the first time in the IMOCA fleet. Nicolas Troussel will sail with Jean Le Cam, the 2013 champion. The five-time para sailing world champion, Damien Seguin, has as his co-skipper the  winner of the last La Solitaire Urgo Le Figaro (the amateur fleet of the great French solo series), Yann Richomme. This is fleet full of quality and personalities, who will paint vivid and varied pictures as they race across the Atlantic. Those following the action will savour a robust and full-bodied edition.