IMOCA ranking

Armel le Cléac'h set to lose his top spot

Thanks to his victory in the Istanbul Europa Race, Michel Desjoyeaux ( Foncia) has closed his deficit on Armel le Cléac'h ( Brit Air) still further in the provisional IMOCA 2009 championship ranking. The Transat Jacques Vabre, which saw 14 boats take the start line, will prove the deciding event as this 2008-2009 season draws to a close. Le Cléac'h, boosted by his two second places during the Artemis Transat and the Vendée Globe, was on track to claim the championship, however, his retirement in the Transat Jacques Vabre looks likely to cost him his lead.

The IMOCA championship ranking is run over a two year period based on the race schedule approved by IMOCA, the Open 60 class association. So, for the 2008-2009 season, the races were The Artemis Transat (solo race across the North Atlantic), the Vendée Globe, the Istanbul Europa Race and the Transat Jacques Vabre. Each race is weighted by a coefficient. So The Artemis Transat and the Istanbul Europa Race have a coefficient of 4, the Transat Jacques Vabre 3, while the Vendée Globe, being the toughest event on the calendar, is awarded a coefficient of 10 points.

The winner receives a certain number of points per race, which is equivalent to the number of boats having taken the start; the second is awarded one less point and so on. The greater the number of participants, the more points the victor receives.

For the time being, there are three sailors within 20 points of each other at the top of the ranking: Le Cléac'h on 338 points, has Desjoyeaux hot on his heels with 324 points; while present TJV leader Marc Guillemot ( Safran) has 320 points. With 42 points up for grabs, this Transat Jacques Vabre will rearrange the prospects for the top spot, while the same is true for the podium, where it is still possible for Sam Davies to step up.

Now mid-race, it seems likely that the IMOCA title will be decided between Guillemot and Desjoyeaux. For Desjoyeaux to retain his lead over Guillemot he will have to finish just a single place behind Safran.

IMOCA ranking prior to the Transat Jacques Vabre:
1 Armel Le Cléac'h (Brit Air) 338 pts
2 Michel Desjoyeaux (Foncia) 324 pts
3 Marc Guillemot (Safr an) 320 pts
4 Sam Davies (Artemis II) 306 pts
5 Vincent Riou (PRB) 280 pts
6 Dee Caffari (Aviva) 274 pts
7 Arnaud Boissières (Akena Verandas) 268 pts
8 Brian Thompson (Pindar) 260 pts
9 Steve White (Spirit of Weymouth) 250 pts
10 Richard Wilson (Great American III) 220 pts
11 Raphaël Dinelli (Fondation Ocean Vital) 210 pts
12 Norbert Sedlacek (Nauticsport) 200 pts
13 Loïck Peyron (Gitana 80) 52 pts
14 Yann Elies (Générali) 44 pts
15 Yannick Bestaven (Aquarelle.com) 32 pts
16 Kito de Pavant (Groupe Bel) 20 pts
17 Guillermo Altadill (1876) 16 pts
18 Roland Jourdain (Veolia Environnement) 12 pts
19 Jean-Pierre Dick (Paprec Virbac) 8 pts
20 Marc Thiercelin (DCNS) 4 pts
- Unaï Basurko (Pakéa Biskaïa 2009) 0 pt
- Jérémie Beyou (Delta Dore) 0 pt
- Jean-Baptiste Dejeanty (Maisonneuve) 0 pt
- Mike Golding (Mike Golding Yacht Racing) 0 pt
- Derek Hatfield (Spirit of Cana da) 0 pt
- Sébastien Josse (BT) 0 pt
- Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) 0 pt
- Jonathan Malbon (Artemis II) 0 pt
- Alex Pella (W-Hotels) 0 pt
- Pachi Rivero (1876) 0 pt
- Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat) 0 pt
- Alex Thomson (Hugo Boss) 0 pt
- Dominique Wavre (Temenos) 0 pt

Reminder: winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre: 42 pts, second: 39 pts, third: 36 pts, etc.