The stage is set for an epic battle in the Atlantic Ocean: with just 12 days to go, the 38 skippers registered for the Transat CIC 2024 – 33 IMOCAs, 13 Class40s and two vintage boats – are getting ready for one of the world’s most challenging and competitive regattas.

CLASS40

The race promises to be fierce and exciting among the Class40s on the starting line. Alberto Bona on board IBSA will compete – to name just a few – against:

• Ambrogio Beccaria (Alla Grande – Pirelli) and Ian Lipinski (Crédit Mutuel), with whom Alberto engaged in numerous head-to-head matches last season
• Amélie Grassi (La Boulangère Bio)
• Fabien Delahaye (LEGALLAIS)
• Nicolas d’Estais (CAFÉ JOYEUX)
• Aurélien Ducroz (CROSSCALL)
• Axel Tréhin (Project Rescue Ocean)

The spotlight will also be on Goulven Marie (QWANZA), at his first solo transatlantic race at the age of 47, and on the very young Thimoté Polet (Zeiss) and Anatole Facon (Good Morning Futur), both 23 years old.

The 2024 edition of the Transat CIC will also mark the return to solo racing of Vincent Riou on board of Groupe Pierreval – Fondation GoodPlanet, after years of crew racing.

IMOCA CLASS

The regatta promises to be of the highest level also within the IMOCA class where, among the registered skippers, are all those who stood out in last season’s regattas. Among these:

• Charlie Dallin (MACIF Santé Prévoyance), winner of the Rolex Fastnet Race
• Yoann Richomme (Paprec Arkéa), winner of Retour à la Base,the regatta back from Martinique
• and the Italian Giancarlo Pedote (Prysmian Group)

The IMOCA category also sees the participation of five women:

• Justine Mettraux (Teamwork-Team Snef)
• Sam Davies (Initiatives-Cœur)
• Isabelle Joschke (MACSF)
• Clarisse Crémer (L’Occitane en Provence)
• Violette Dorange, just 22 years old (DEVENIR)

On the international front, there are ten foreign skippers, including the Swiss Oliver Heer (Oliver Heer Ocean Racing) and the English James Harayda (Gentoo Sailing Team).

VINTAGE CATEGORY

Following the example of the Route du Rhum 2022, also this edition of the Transat CIC welcomes the new “Vintage” category, which will see Patrick Isoard – with an old 50-foot IMOCA designed in 1998 (Uship pour Enfants du Mekong) – challenge Rémy Gérin aboard a 20-meter, 30-ton wooden boat (Faiaoahe).

The regatta, the regulations and the sailors who will participate in this long-awaited ocean crossing have been officially announced, and very little time is left until the start of the Transat CIC: we just have to wait until the 28 to cheer on Alberto!