And they're off - just...

TJV monohulls survive a drifting match start reports James Boyd in words and photos

It is rare that you can get a suntan in November in northern Europe, but light, sunny July-type conditions prevailed for today's monohull start of the Transat Jacques Vabre.

With a large spectator fleet gathered to the south of the start area, the impressive fleet of Open 60s and 50s were despatched towards a turning mark off Le Havre before setting off out into the channel into the race proper. The mark had been renamed 'bouee Paul Vatine' after the trimaran skipper who was lost overboard during the race two years ago.

In the light breeze these powerful boats looked impotent. In a breeze-less pre-start several were being pushed into their start positions by their support tenders as the crews tried to control their headsails and gain enough pace to get steerage and prevent collisions. The race committee announced over the radio that all tenders should disengage by the five minute gun.

At 1155 GMT, the five minute gun sounded and the start took on a more promising tone with what seemed to be a reasonably stable north easterly wind filling in and the welcome prospect of a reach to the turning mark and a reach back out to sea. The new breeze enabled the boats to spread out down the line with Sill furthest south (nearest the spectator fleet) and Ecover and SME Negoceane (the former Gartmore) furthest north with Casto-Darty-BUT (ex Kingfisher) in the middle of the line with Miranda Merron and Fred Brule's Un univers de services.

Sill Plein Fruit looks good moments after the start, but then falls into the hole of eternity