The race

1992

16 duos registered

Winners Jacques Caraës and Michel Desjoyeaux - SILL PLEIN FRUIT FR3

Race time: 24d 8h 40mn 34s

After 24 days, 8 hours, 40 minutes and 34 seconds at sea, Jacques Caraës and Michel Desjoyeaux take victory in the very first Transat AG2R LA MONDIALE, crossing the finish line off the port of Gustavia in St. Barths. The dawning of a new race...

MICHEL DESJOYEAUX champion in 1992: “In 1992, it was the first time that the Figaro Bénéteau 1s had sailed such a long course. We weren’t exactly heading into the unknown, but a fair few boats had dismasted during previous seasons. As a result, we didn’t really know whether we’d manage to survive the trade wind intact or whether we could allow ourselves to push the boats flat out all the way to the finish. Jacques and I fought hard right all the way to the wire and ultimately we finished ahead of the second boat! They’re great memories!”

JACQUES CARAËS champion in 1992: “I have a very vivid memory of my victory in 1992 with Mich' (editor’s note: Michel Desjoyeaux). The welcome in St. Barths was extraordinary. There was a crazy amount of people there and we had Sill as a partner, so Gilles Falhun’s hospitality was second to none as always. It was unforgettable.”

1994

20 duos registered

Winners: Roland Jourdain and Jean le Cam - SILL PLEIN FRUIT FR3

Race time : 20d 20h 34mn 26s

Roland Jourdain and Jean le Cam post an historic victory! Never in the history of transatlantic races has a crew taken the win with such a narrow margin over the second boat: just 63 seconds ahead of Bertrand de Broc and Marc Guillemot.

ROLAND JOURDAIN champion in 1994: “We treated ourselves to an incredible duel with the Guillemot-De Broc duo. It was full-on in a squall in the dark! In the end we took the win by just 63 seconds. A surreal margin after three weeks of racing! I’ll remember it my whole life, that’s for sure.”

JEAN LE CAM champion in 1994: “Victory in Gustavia with Bilou (Roland Jourdain) and the miniscule gap made the moment all the more memorable.”

1996

19 duos registered

Winners: Alain Gautier and Jimmy Pahun – BROCELIANDE

Race time: 24d 11h 54mn 32s

Alain Gautier and Jimmy Pahun were rewarded for their northerly option, finishing less than an hour and a half ahead of Jean le Cam and Florence Arthaud. “The level was akin to that of the multihulls’ heyday around ten years ago”, explains Alain Gautier.

ALAIN GAUTIER champion in 1996: “For me, it was about starting out with a sponsor, namely Brocéliande. With regards my crew, I did consider setting sail with a pro from the circuit. In the end though, I made a more personal choice by sailing with Jimmy Pahun, a childhood friend I’d sailed with since 1977. Together we penned a great story.

JIMMY PAHUN champion in 1996: “When I was a kid, my idol went by the name of Alain Colas and I said to myself that, one day, like him, I’d win a transatlantic race. I was fortunate enough to have that happen to me that year. Better still, I did it with a friend. Moreover, after the event, it cemented our friendship.”

1998

24 duos registered

Winners: Bruno Jourdren and Marc Guessard - NINTENDO 24

Suspense to the wire. Bruno Jourdren and Marc Guessard, on Nintendo 64, after 22 days and 14 hours at sea covering 3,760 miles at an average speed of 6 knots, are the outright champions of this 4th double-handed Transat AG2R LA MONDIALE.

Race time: 22d 14h 24mn 11

Bruno Jourdren champion in 1998: “I’d just signed a partnership deal with Nintendo. For the first time ever, I was able to properly prepare. I had a great boat and a great crew: we were all set well before the start. Our victory was the icing on the cake. Out on the water, I remember that there was lots of jockeying for position after Madeira due to the calm conditions. The same was true on making landfall in the West Indies. It was full-on, right to the last.”

2000

42 duos registered

Winners: Karine Fauconnier and Lionel Lemonchois - SERGIO TACCHINI ITINÉRIS

Karine Fauconnier and Lionel Lemonchois on Sergio Tacchini Itinéris take victory in the 5th edition in 27 days 9 hours and 50 minutes. Storms in the first leg and lengthy periods of flat calm in the transatlantic crossing were the most striking aspects of the event.

Race time 27d 9h 50mn 38s

Karine Fauconnier champion in 2000: “This victory with Lionel Lemonchois marked the culmination of four years in Figaro Bénéteau. I remember that we encountered some fairly tough conditions: very boisterous during the first leg and fairly light in the second half of the course. As a result, it was quite a tactical transatlantic race. In fact, I believe that the difference was made not through speed but weather strategy, because you had to pull off a few moves to escape all these pitfalls.”

2002

Winners: Hervé Laurent and Rodolphe Jacq - COLBERT ORCO

25 duos registered

Race time 22d 13h 06mn 55s

With an accumulated time for the two legs of 22 days 02 hours and 39 minutes, Hervé Laurent and Rodolphe Jacq took the win in the 6th Transat AG2R LA MONDIALE. It was at 00:20 hours local time that Colbert Orco crossed the finish line of the second leg, which had been won some six hours earlier by Erwan Tabarly & Philippe Vicariot.

HERVÉ LAURENT champion in 2002: “One moment that will remain etched on my memory from this edition is when Rodolphe Jacq and I were offshore of Porto (Madeira). After analysing the weather, I came up on deck and I said to him “we’re going to win this transatlantic race!” I’d grasped the fact that ours was the winning option.”

RODOLPHE JACQ champion in 2002: “Hervé Laurent and I managed to put together a budget, kind of at the last minute, but it enabled us to charter Philippe Poupon’s Figaro. The boat was ready to go, we just had to get ourselves down to it. Everything was decided very quickly, albeit in a very professional way. As a result, we rapidly got our bearings. Our victory in this race spurred me on and with it I was able to earn my place on bigger boats and carved a niche for myself in the world of professional sailing.”

2004

31 duos registered

Winners: Armel le Cléac'h and Nicolas Troussel - GROUPE SCE LE TELEGRAMME

Race time: 20d 08h 49mn 35s

Armel Le Cléac'h and Nicolas Troussel (Groupe SCE-Le Télégramme) secured the win, after covering 3,760 miles in 20 days 8 hours 49 minutes and 3 seconds at sea. They finished ahead of the duo made up of Pascal Bidégorry and Sidney Gavignet (Banque Populaire), who were hot on their heels right down the home straight.

NICOLAS TROUSSEL champion in 2004: “In 2002, Armel and I were forced to retire due to a broken forestay. Two years on, we were able to get our revenge. The first transatlantic, the first major victory and a finish on 11 May, both mine and Armel’s birthday: 2004 was quite simply magical!”

ARMEL LE CLÉAC'H champion in 2004: “What a memory this victory was, in 2004, on our birthday. It was all the more powerful as we’d found a partner at the last minute, which was a particularly stressful situation prior to the start. In the end it was a fantastic story culminating in victory.”

2006

28 duos registered

Winners: Kito de Pavant and Pietro d'Ali - GROUPE BEL

After 19 days 22 hours 24 minutes and 30 seconds of relentless battling, Kito de Pavant and Pietro d'Ali crossed the Transat AG2R LA MONDIALE finish line in St. Barths on Groupe Bel, snatching a much-deserved victory. It was coloured by a bunched finish: 23 of the 25 crews finishing within 24 hours of one another… An event first!

Race time: 19d 22h 24mn 30s

Kito De Pavant champion in 2006: “It was a wonderful transatlantic race, but it was tough as there were a lot of boats squeezed together and our victory only really took shape at the end, as is often the way. Today it remains a very fond memory. Yet we formed an odd couple, me and my favourite Italian, Pietro d'Ali.”

2008

26 duos registered

Winners: Laurent Pellecuer and Jean-Paul Mouren - SNEF CLIPTOL SPORT

Race time: 22d 19h 13mn 55s

It was an impressive victory for SNEF and Cliptol Sport. With the fleet strewn across 1,000 nautical miles, the winners were the ones who selected the right option. Despite the difficult weather and fluky winds, this pair stood out from the rest thanks to tactics favouring the extreme south. By positioning themselves in the leading group, SNEF and Cliptol Sport revived the suspense of the race from Madeira.

JEAN-PAUL MOUREN champion in 2008: “I recall the risk Laurent and I took with the weather whilst the leading group took a more reasonable option. It wasn’t a very comfortable decision as we were at risk of being seriously sidelined. In the end, it worked out for us. It was a massive pleasure to finish on top, at three in the morning, a bit like a dove coming out of a hat: a pretty magical moment!”

LAURENT PELLECUER champion in 2008: “The victory that Jean-Paul Mouren and I secured was kind of symbolic: it came along ten years after our first participation together in 1998. We’d set out to really enjoy ourselves and play around with whatever we could in our situation as we had no pressure on our shoulders and no constraints. When we made landfall in Madeira, a major strategic decision opened up to us and the freedom we felt with our navigation meant we could select the riskier but more logical option. Ultimately, it set us on a fast track to victory and our experience enabled us to follow through on the opportunity that presented itself. We were thrilled to be able to play our hand.”

2010

25 duos registered

Winners: Armel le Cléac'h and Fabien Delahaye - BRIT AIR

Race time: 22d 16h 59mn 11s

Crossing the finish line in St. Barths on 11 May at 00 hours 59 minutes 11 seconds (04 hours 59 minutes 11 seconds UTC), Armel Le Cléac'h and Fabien Delahaye bagged victory in the tenth Transat AG2R LA MONDIALE after 22 days 16 hours 59 minutes and 11 seconds in a race showcasing their talent and mastery.

ARMEL LE CLÉAC'H champion in 2010: “We suspected we were on the right track, but we only had confirmation of our victory a few hours before the finish, when Jean Maurel (the race director, editor’s note) announced via VHF that we were first. We were at the front of the pack from the 4th or 5th day at sea. After that we remained in contact with three other boats. We crossed the Canaries gate virtually neck and neck and then we pretty much took the same options in the south. In the end, we managed to keep in front of them at the finish, but not by much. It really was a very fine battle.”

FABIEN DELAHAYE champion in 2010: “For my first transatlantic, I couldn’t have wished for better. A victory is magical! I’ve had 23 fantastic days at sea. It was all good! A sheer delight! We hardly used the autopilot at all other than at the start, when it paid off a little in the light night airs. After that though, we didn’t connect it up for more than an hour at a time. Sailing with Armel is fabulous. Aboard Brit Air, there was never an angry work. We had an absolute ball throughout the transatlantic passage. It was pure enjoyment.”

2012

16 duos inscrits

Winners: Gildas Morgan and Charlie Dalin - CERCLE VERT

Race time: 22d 08h 55mn 45s

This 11th edition doesn’t go against the established order for its twentieth anniversary, the Transat AG2R LAMONDIALE serving up an intense showstopper, the likes of which nobody could have imagined at the start in Concarneau on 21 April. Having ridden out storms, searched for the trade wind and tried to escape the blasted seaweed, the 16 pairs signed up for this 2012 edition all succeeded in making the finish in St. Barths, and all were welcomed amidst the greatest fervour possible and imaginable. Victory is awarded to Gildas Morvan and Charlie Dalin after 22 days 8 hours 55 minutes and 45 seconds who demonstrated real prowess and skill.

2014

15 duos registered

Winners: Gwénolé Gahinet and Paul Meilhat - SAFRAN GUY COTTEN

Race time 22d 06h 17mn 59s

On 28 April at 19h 17mn 59 sec, on the turquoise waters of St. Barths, two young sailors, Gwenolé Gahinet and Paul Meilhat glide across the finish line in the port of Gustavia. Safran-Guy Cotten posts the win in this 12th edition of the double-handed transatlantic raced on equal terms, finishing ahead of Skipper Macif (Fabien Delahaye/Yoann Richomme) and the mixed double 30 Corsaires (Alexia Barrier/Laurent Pellecuer). It’s a very refreshing podium representing part of a new wave of offshore racers.

2016

15 duos registered

Winners: Thierry Chabagny and Erwan Tabarly - GEDIMAT

Race time: 22d 01h 06mn 53s

They came in search of victory and they pulled it off. “We’ve done it mate!” exclaimed Thierry to Erwan as they crossed the finish line off Gustavia on 25 April 2016 at 14:14:53. The winning duo on Gedimat, Thierry Chabagny and Erwan Tabarly, nailed the win in the thirteenth edition after 22 days 1 hour 6 minutes and 53 seconds.

Erwan Tabarly champion in 2016 “We set sail with confidence, though we weren’t entirely convinced about all our choices. We may have sailed a good trajectory on the cartography, but at times we made some poor moves. In the end, we always managed to make up the lost ground though. The day before the finish, we were a bit down in the dumps because Agir Recouvrement was in the process of overtaking us. We thought we were going to finish second once again. There was nothing in it at the finish. It’s amazing to see that after three weeks of racing, victory can slip out of your grasp by two boats timing a gybe just 15 minutes apart.

Thierry Chabagny “Over the last 24 hours, in the calm conditions, rather than both working flat out on deck we stuck to our transatlantic rhythm. The idea was to make the right choices right the way to the finish and not go crazy. That worked well for us in the match racing phase with Agir Recouvrement, who tried to force us off the track to get us to give in to them.”

2018

20 duos registered

Winners: Thomas Ruyant and Adrien Hardy - AGIR RECOUVREMENT

Race time: 18d 11h 48mn 22s

18 days 11 hours, 48 minutes, 22 seconds: that’s the race time for the top duo in Gustavia in this fourteenth edition of the Transat AG2R LA MONDIALE: Adrien Hardy & Thomas Ruyant crossed the finish line in St. Barths on Thursday 10 May at 18H48'22" (22H48'22" UTC on Wednesday 9 May). The pair had been leading the way for over a week!

2021

18 duos

Winners: Nils Palmier and Julien Villion - TEAM WORKS

Race time: 18d 05h 08min 03s

Both Transat Paprec > TED rookies, Nils Palmieri and Julien Villion sailed a blinder by being the first to make landfall in Gustavia, St. Barths. Favouring a northerly option, the two men believed wholeheartedly in their option, even though the routing seemed to side with the ‘southerners’. Their objective throughout was to remain at the head of their group, which they excelled at. In so doing, they broke the event record by 6 hours 40 minutes and 19 seconds.