Transat Jacques Vabre ticked off by the Belgian duo on the IMOCA D’Ieteren Group
The IMOCA D’Ieteren Group crossed the finish line in the Transat Jacques Vabre this Friday 24 November at 19:09:56 UTC. Denis Van Weynbergh and Gilles Buekenhout completed the course in 17 days 10 hours 39 minutes and 56 seconds. This last double-handed event of the season has enabled Denis to validate 3,750 nautical miles in race format in his bid to qualify for the Vendée Globe 2024.
After setting sail in bracing conditions and exiting the English Channel in a front, which gave the IMOCA fleet a rough ride, Denis Van Weynbergh and Gilles Buekenhout continued their descent into the Bay of Biscay without mishap.
They then rounded the legendary Cape Finisterre by taking the inside track at the TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme) before setting a course westward towards the Azores.
Finally, the Belgian duo accentuated its southward trajectory to make landfall in Fort-de France, controlling its speed using a combination of caution and efficiency to preserve the boat.
This transatlantic has proven to be the perfect opportunity for our two compatriots, Gilles and Denis, to gain fresh insight from one another.
After the success of this final double-handed event in the IMOCA programme, the time has come to switch to single-handed racing with a view to taking the start of the Vendée Globe 2024.
Denis: “Sailing double-handed really is a human adventure. The two of us were able to share these moments. We had different approaches and we exchanged ideas about how to best trim the boat. In addition to the sailing aspects, we had some great exchanges, so it was a very special journey.”
Denis will barely have time to draw breath before he sets sail single-handed on 30 November on the Retour à La Base, a new transatlantic race starting in Fort-de-France and finishing in Lorient in metropolitan France.
“The N’ly option we chose was certainly the best possible training for the Retour à La Base race. This is the end of leg one for me. Now, together with my team, we’re going to turn our attention to leg two,” explains Denis.
An eastbound transatlantic race in the depths of winter, it presents a substantial challenge for both the skippers and the boats. Having participated in and honoured all the Class IMOCA races, the Retour à La Base 2023, a race that counts towards qualification and selection for the Vendée Globe 2024, will round off Denis Van Weynbergh’s year in style.
“It was pure pleasure and we’re happy to have made it here. Our contract involved getting the boat here in the best possible shape so it’s job done.
Two years ago, I took 24 days to complete the Transat Jacques Vabre and this year we’ve finished the race in 17 days, so that’s fantastic. The N’ly option was tough, but we did it as safely as we could, despite the various fronts rolling through.”
“The door to the S’ly course closed two days before we got there. We took the N’ly option to sail the shortest possible distance in the safest way possible for the boat.
We mainly focused on putting in some great manoeuvres with a little strategy added to the mix. After my multihull season, this is my 3rd transatlantic in a year and sailing aboard an IMOCA has been really fabulous.”