Following a Parade of Sail along the western shore of Plymo uth Sound watched by an estimated 1,000 spectator craft, the 11 yachts competing in The Artemis Transat waited for the 14:00 BST start gun in the area south of the breakwater, milling around the one mile long startline, mixing with the 13 IMOCA Open 60s. As each Class40 yacht raised a yellow pennant, Jacques Fournier, the class president, boarded each Class40 yacht, leaping on board from a RIB with great agility to check the vital, yellow plastic seal immobilising the propeller shaft: an operation that was completed 15 minutes before the gun.
With a southerly breeze of 5-7 knots, all the teams prepared for a very light, windward start. By four minutes to 1400 BST, the team shore crews were picked off the yachts and the skippers were finally alone for the 2,800 mile voyage across the North Atlantic.
Given by Mike Golding, winner of the 2004 edition, aboard the Royal Navy ship HMS Argyll, the start of The Artemis Transat. Heading off towards Eddystone - first race gate of the course - at 9 knots of boats speed, the skippers fought a close battle as soon as the gun went off... Loick Peyron (Gitana Eighty) was the first skipper at the Eddystone Omega race gate, and will be presented with an Omega Seamaster timepiece. But for now, there is an ocean to cross, and the first night at sea might prove tricky.
