File: Transat Jacques Vabre 2021
Fort de France, Martinique
Maitre CoQ IV took ninth place in the Transat Jaques Vabre, Imoca category this Sunday at Fort de France this Sunday noon. A difficult race, without wind, declared Yannnick Bestaven his skipper at the finish. In a few weeks, he will have a new boat with longer foils.
On arrival at Fort de France this Sunday noon, they were mostly relieved to be donei. “Who made this route“laughed Yannick Bestaven, confident that he had seemed long.”It was a tough race with no wind“he added. With Jean-Marie Dauris, aboard his Master CoQ IV, the winning boat of the Vendée Globe, he took this Sunday at 13h49 ninth place in the Transat Jacques Vabre, category Imoca finishing one day and one hour behind Fortinet-Best Western (Romain Attanasio and Sébastien Marset) and almost two days behind Prysmian Group (Giancarlo Pedote and Martin Le Pape). These three boats, former foilers, raced together, taking turns to gain the advantage until last Thursday. “It took a cloud“says Yannick Bestaven, a cloud under which Maitre CoQ found himself stuck, without wind while the other two competitors managed to bypass it.
We are where we should be – Yannick Bestaven
No regrets about the ranking, the two skippers could hardly do better with an old boat with small foils. “The bigger you have, the faster you go, there is no longer any debate on large foils“analyzes Yannick Bestaven. This is the reason why he separates from Maitre CoQ IV, the winner of the Vendée Globe with which he was competing his last race. The sailboat has been sold since April to Damien Seguin. “I have a little twinge in my heart“confided Yannick Bestaven, setting foot on the pontoon. In a few weeks he will have a new sailboat with large foils on which he will prepare. the Vendée Globe 2024.