Top skipper and crew

Points in the Transat Jacques Vabre will go towards this year's FICO-Lacoste skipper and crew ranking

Participants in the sixth edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre will this week be setting sail from Le Havre, bound to Salvador de Bahia. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the event has now confirmed its place among the leading international oceanic races. A record number of 39 entries – with competitors from 12 different nations – are going to take the start line, the monohulls setting sail on 1 November and the multihulls on 2 November.

The outcome of the Transat Jacques Vabre will be included in the FICO-Lacoste World Championship final ranking. Following his victory in Around Alone, Bernard Stamm is already certain to become the winning skipper for 2003 - a good year for Swiss yachting - but there is still all to play for second and third places. Among the candidates are Roland Jourdain, Michel Desjoyeaux, Lalou Roucayrol, Emma Richards, Jean Le Cam and Mike Golding.

Competitors in the TJV will also be in the running for the title of best crew. The TJV is double-handed so one sailor will be considered the skipper and the other the crew. Currently the 2000 winner Jean-Baptiste Levaillant (87 points) is seeing his leadership threatened by Jacques Vincent, crew aboard Sodebo (65 points)

The FICO-LACOSTE prize-giving ceremony will take place at Le Fouquet’s in Paris on 12 December, during the Paris Boat Show, where a total of 87.500 euros will be handed out.

Prize-money is awarded as follows :
Skipper 2003 FICO-LACOSTE World Champion: 40,000 euros
2nd : 25,000 euros,
3rd : 15,000 euros.
1st crew : 7,500 euros