Putting on the Sunday best for the Prologue 

The 16th edition of the Transat Paprec, the only 100% mixed double-handed transatlantic race, was officially launched yesterday in Concarneau with the inauguration of the Village. And so the pre-start activities finally give shape and form to what will be an engaging race all across the Atlantic to Saint Barths. 

In the Village there are activities, free of charge, for all ages and interests. But Sunday should see big crowds out to watch the fleet dock out for the afternoon’s prologue race, 6.5 nautical miles warm up which should give the mixed double-handed duos a feel for the competition and more importantly something of a dress rehearsal for next Sunday’s start, allowing them to scope out the bay and where any little gains might be made or where the traps might be. 

Visitors took advantage of the sun today to come and discover the Village of the Transat Paprec located on Quai Carnot. 

Sunday’s prologue

The prologue will open the competition but the duos are still putting finishing touches to their preparations. Sunday’s start is at 1300hrs and the course should take the 11 pairs around the bay with a good chance to experience most points of sail. 

“Today we are making the final preparations on the boat before the Prologue which will see the 11 boats have their first confrontation on the water in the bay of Concarneau. Me, I train here all year round so I know the bay well, but it will be an opportunity to make a real mental picture  of what it will be like next Sunday  at the start of our transatlantic race,” says Chloé Le Bars (Region Bretagne – CMB Océane). "With Hugo (Dhallenne), we have no particular objective for this Prologue apart from getting the beautiful sails out, making the final adjustments and seeing if all is well on board before the big start". 

French 2012 470 Olympian Pierre Leboucher (Cap Ingelec) feels the same. “We are going to have a little bit of wind. It's going to be interesting to line up against all the competitors and feel what it is like with a small fleet start. We had the opportunity to do just one double-handed race with Camille (Bertel) in the Laura-Vergne Trophy. It will be fun to return to the body of water where I started offshore racing when I was at the Pôle de Port-la-Forêt”

He adds,  "The Prologue will allow us to try to fix our pre-departure routine: leave the port because Camille does not know the body of water, and try to avoid all the little traps that the we could have next Sunday and it's going to be a  nice Sunday treat for all the people who are going to come and see the Prologue because on a transat, you don't see the boats much after the start. I think we will not going to take any risks. The idea is to put on a show but not to break the boat.”