Michel Desjoyeaux Wins The 2004 Transat

Michel Desjouyeaux crossing the finish line in Boston

At 2129 GMT Tuesday June 8th Frenchman Michel Desjoyeaux crossed the finish line of The Transat at the entrance to Boston Harbour to claim victory in the 60ft ORMA multihull class of the historic solo transatlantic race.

Emotional scenes surrounded the arrival of Michel Desjoyeaux on board Geant as he set a new transatlantic race record from Plymouth to Boston of 8 days, 8 hours, 29 minutes and 55 seconds. He raced the 2800 mile course at an average speed of 13.61 knots. The previous record for the race was held by solo round the world record holder Francis Joyon who set a record of 9 days, 23 hours and 21 minutes in the last race in 2000. Desjoyeaux has taken 38 hours and 52 minutes off the record.

Desjoyeaux crossed the finish line between Deer Island Light and Long Island Head Light at the entrance to Boston Harbour, four miles from downtown Boston, at a speed of 23 knots. Support boats and spectators were awaiting his arrival. This classic solo race that began in 1960 is raced against the prevailing winds and conditions of the North Atlantic and the The Transat race lived up to its reputation as the toughest transatlantic race. A series of low depressions delivered 45+ knot head winds and huge seas as the 60ft multihulls battled their way across. In the final stages of the race, the risk of icebergs forced the boats south. The tough conditions have caused some damage in the race fleet including two dismastings and one boat, Cheminees Poujoulat-Armor Lux, that lost its keel in the 60ft monohull class.

A total of 37 boats, included 12 ORMA trimarans, started the race at 1300 GMT on 31st May and to date five boats have abandoned the race. The remainder of the ORMA fleet will finish in Boston over the next few days whilst the Open 60 monohull class leaders are expected to arrive from Saturday (12.6.04) onwards.

ORMA 60 Race Summary:

Michel Desjoyeaux on board the 60ft multihull Geant had taken the lead of the 2800 mile single-handed transatlantic race from Plymouth to Boston by the 0500GMT positions poll on 2nd June after less than 48 hours of racing following the start at 1300GMT on 31st May.

Photo by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com

Weather conditions experienced by the 12 boats in the ORMA 60 multihulls class sent them further north than in previous races and the third night of the race saw them tackling a giant North Atlantic depression bringing with it 45 knot winds and ferocious seas. These were the worst weather conditions the multihulls had experienced since the 2002 Route du Rhum race when the fleet were decimated by hurricane force winds. Aiming straight for the centre of the first low the leading multis in the north tacked first and took a fast ride out of the back of the low before facing the next onslaught. In total the multihulls had to tackle three low systems - not exceptional conditions for this time of year. Due to their northerly route the direct route to Boston would have taken the boats through a densely populated area of icebergs to the east of Newfoundland, but in a gentleman's agreement, the skippers agreed upon an ice exclusion zone (47degN 47degW) moving their course south. From Newfoundland on the weather changed to the other extreme as the skippers were kept glued to their tillers, as they had to negotate extensive periods of light winds.

Michel Desjoyeaux's Race:

Photo by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com

31.5.04: Second across the start line and first ORMA 60 to reach the Eddystone Lighthouse - awarded Omega Seamaster watch.
1.6.04: First big low pressures approaches: "I'm too old to take all these waves!"

2.6.04: 0500GMT Geant takes the lead. Extreme close racing with Sodebo (Thomas Coville) only 200m apart at times through the night. Picks up speed in 35 knots, reaching conditions: "These are good winds for us. It is what the boats are designed for." Michel Desjoyeaux/Geant current holder of Omega 24hr speed record 440 miles recorded between 0500-0500 GMT.
3.6.04: Head for centre of first major lw pressure system and tacks south out of the low at approx 2030 GMT.
4.6.04: Reports 44 knot winds and 5-6m seas during the night. Claimed to have slept all night and allowing the automatic pilots to steer the boat. ORMA skippers agree to self-imposed ice waypoint 47 N 47 W.
5.6.04: Heads straight for Flemish Cap - closest ORMA to ice waypoint.
7.6.04: 150 mile spread between Geant, Sodebo and Groupama and his lead seems unassailable.
8.6.04: Reports fast and flat sailing conditions in early morning and has a 64 mile lead over Sodebo at 0500 GMT. Geant slowed by lighter airs - only makes 9 miles in two hours - and Sodebo closes down lead to 26.6 miles at 1700 GMT poll with 81 miles to the finish.

Photo by Thierry Martinez, www.thmartinez.com

Michel Desjoyeaux Profile:
Date of birth: 16/07/1965 (age 38)
Nationality: French
Place of birth : Concarneau
Current residence: La Foret Fouesnant
Personal status: 3 children
Previous participation in The Transat 2000 / 7th Class 1 Monohull

Mini profile:
Winner of the 2000/2001 Vendée Globe, the Solitaire du Figaro on two occasions (1992 and 1998) and the 2002 Route du Rhum, Desjoyeaux is the one of most successful single-handed offshore racers taking part in The Transat.

Desjoyeaux heralds from Port la Foret, la vallee des fous (valley of the mad) as it is known because of it being the Mecca of solo offshore racing. At 20, Desjoyeaux cut his teeth racing with Eric Tabarly on the maxi Cote d'Or in the Whitbread Round the World Race. Like the great French skipper, Desjoyeaux shares a passion for innovation. Equally, he openly shares his ideas and has been responsible for the advancement of many Figaro rookies earning himself the nickname 'Le Professeur' (the teacher).

Desjoyeaux's sailing CV is impossibly long. He has been racing large multihulls competitively since the mid-1980s and on many of the trimarans during the 1990s starting with a win in the TwoSTAR with Jean Maurel in 1990. It was in the late 1990s that Desjoyeaux graduated up from the Figaro class with his new Open 60 PRB. He won the Vendée Globe and a ticket into the 60ft trimaran class with his latest sponsor Geant, the French supermarket chain.

www.thetransat.com