Transat Jacques Vabre: Sébastien Rogues and Matthieu Souben first to arrive in Martinique, ahead of the Ultimes – Franceinfo

They created the surprise. Sébastien Rogues and Matthieu Souben, aboard their 15-meter multihull (Primonial), arrived first on the night of Monday to Tuesday, November 23 in Martinique after 15 days at sea to win in the Ocean Fifty category during the the Transat Jacques Vabre.

It is done !

@sebrogues & Matthieu Souben win the #TransatJacquesVabre 2021 in @oceanfifty !

⏱ After 15d 13h 27m 14s, the Primonial duo inscribes its name in the history of # CafeRoute @LH_LeHavre | @RegionNormandy | @cmtMartinique pic.twitter.com/1ymmqxPOiI

– Transat Jacques Vabre (@TransatJV) November 23, 2021

The duo of skippers crossed the line in the bay of Fort-de-France at 9:54 p.m. local time (2:54 a.m. Paris time) after leaving Le Havre on November 7 with a total fleet of 79 boats, spread over four classes of sailboats. with three different routes depending on the power of the boat.

“It’s a lot of happiness, we are happy with the efforts we have made over a fortnight. It’s brilliant! These are rare moments in a life, and that is priceless”, smiled broadly at Rogues, who was responding to reporters from his boat docked at the pontoon and lit by the full moon.

The two sailors arrived before the fastest boats in the world, the Ultimes (32 m long flying maxi-trimaran), which have a course a third longer than the Ocean Fifty, and whose current leader, the tandem Franck Cammas / Charles Caudrelier (Maxi Edmond de Rothschild) is expected from midday Tuesday (Paris time).

“It’s always good to arrive before the Ultimes, I have to say it! They really didn’t have the same course as us, and anyway it’s still the most beautiful boats in the world with the best sailors in the world. will not change. But there is little chance in life where you can win the Jacques Vabre and even less win it in front of the Ultimes so maybe this one will be the only one in our life “, rejoiced Sébastien Rogues.

Rogues and Souben have teamed up for the second time in the Transat Jacques Vabre. In 2019, they finished third in Multi 50 (ex-Ocean Fifty). Sébastien Rogues, 35, gave him his second victory in the doubles race after his success with Fabien Delahaye in 2013 in class 40 (12m monohull).

Erwan Le Roux and Xavier Macaire were the second to cross the finish line, at 5:22 am Tuesday, just over two hours after the leaders. Sam Goodchild and Aymeric Chappellier completed the podium finishing at 3:48 am of the winning duo. The first three boats to arrive are all in the Ocean Fifty category.

@GoodchildSam & Aymeric Chappellier, 3rd of the #TransatJacquesVabre in @oceanfifty aboard Leyton!

⏱ Race time: 15d 17h 15m 43s
↔️ Deviation from first: 0d 3h 48m 29s

# CafeRoute | @LH_LeHavre | @RegionNormandy | @cmtMartinique pic.twitter.com/O2EyG9bHHJ

– Transat Jacques Vabre (@TransatJV) November 23, 2021