Transat Paprec: A Flying Start and the Open Sea Ahead!
- Antoine Grenapin
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
At precisely 13:02 this Sunday, 20 April, the 19 mixed duos taking part in the Transat Paprec set sail from Concarneau. After the emotional goodbyes on the pontoons, the fleet tackled a spectacular coastal course under a brooding grey sky, yet enjoyed mild sailing conditions — a north-westerly breeze of 10 to 15 knots — before heading into the Atlantic. It marks the beginning of a formidable challenge: the only mixed-gender transatlantic race sailed in identical boats. The 17th edition of this emblematic event promises to be fiercely contested, with no clear favourites and plenty of aspiring champions.
©Qaptur
“The future Vendée Globe winners are among them,” declared Charlie Dalin, winner of the Transat Paprec in 2012. “Remember their names.”
There is always a moment of vertigo before a major departure. So much time has been spent preparing, dreaming, analysing — it's never a trivial moment. Even less so for these 38 sailors, each pushing themselves to the limit aboard their compact 10.89-metre Figaro Bénéteau 3s. Demanding and physically exhausting, these boats leave little room for comfort. Though sailed in pairs, much of the race will be endured in ‘false solo’ mode. Pushing beyond limits becomes not just a goal but a necessity. At the end of this tunnel of exertion lies the warmth of the Caribbean, the allure of Saint Barthélemy, and the opportunity to write their names into the great annals of offshore racing.
Since becoming an all-mixed format in the last edition, the Transat Paprec has cemented its place as a true talent-spotter. The duo who etch their names onto the trophy will join a pantheon of sailing legends: Michel Desjoyeaux (1992), Jean Le Cam (1994), Karine Fauconnier (2000), Armel Le Cléac’h (2004, 2010), Thomas Ruyant (2018), and of course Charlie Dalin. Speaking on the docks this weekend, Dalin shared sage advice: “This race is won in the details, in the tiniest shifts and trim adjustments. It’s sailed at incredibly high intensity, often with mere minutes separating the front-runners at the finish. The winners? They’re the ones who dare.”
And daring is in no short supply among the 19 Transat Paprec duos — all vibrant proof of the dynamism of the Figaro class.duos in the Transat Paprec, witnesses to the vitality of the Figaro class, are all daring.
