Conditions permitting, the 17th Route du Café should set off this Sunday from Le Havre towards Fort-de-France in Martinique. In the IMOCA category, Justine Mettraux will be accompanied by French co-skipper Xavier Macaire on this transatlantic race. The Geneva-based sailor kindly granted us a video interview earlier this week.
This will be the last race for Justine Mettraux’s boat under this name. The IMOCA TeamWork – Team SNEF that led her to the status of fastest woman in the Vendée Globe will change hands after this transatlantic race. This could be the opportunity to make her mark and, why not, titillate the more recent competitors one last time, before the arrival of the new IMOCA.
The Route du Café features 75 boats at the start, divided into 4 classes: 5 ULTIM, 10 Ocean Fifty, 42 Class40 and 18 IMOCA. Five Swiss sailors, including three women, are racing. Four distinct courses are planned. The IMOCA boats will have to leave the Canaries to starboard before setting off on what could well resemble a trade windspeed race.
THE SWISS AT THE START :
Ocean Fifty
Élodie-Jane Mettraux with Anne-Claire Le Berre (FRA) on Upwind by Mer Concept
IMOCA
Justine Mettraux with Xavier Macaire (FRA) on TEAMWORK – Team SNEF
Simon Koster with Nico D’Estais (FRA) on Café Joyeux
Bérénice Charrez with Szabolcs Weöres (HUN) on New Europe
Class40
Steven Griener (SUI-GBR) with Ulysse Pozzoli (FRA) on Renovatec sails and performance
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