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Ten trimarans from the Ocean Fifty class set off on the Transat Café L’Or on Saturday, October 25, with four of them choosing LOFTNETS expertise for their nets.
The Ocean Fifty trimarans started the famous race 24 hours ahead of the official start, in an attempt to avoid the worst of the storm forecasted in the English Channel from Sunday the 25th. The double-handed crews set sail from Le Havre for 4,600 nautical miles heading due south towards Cape Verde, before catching the trade winds bound for the Caribbean and finishing in Martinique. The gaps between boats in the same class are expected to be small, and strategic choices will have to be bold – promising an intense battle all along the way.
LOFTNETS, Technical Partner in Performance
On these 15-metre trimarans capable of flying above the waves, every detail counts. Four teams in the Ocean Fifty fleet trust LOFTNETS to equip their high-speed ocean machines with the latest generation nets: Solidaires en Peloton, Le Rire Médecin Lamotte, UpWind by MerConcept, and Inter Invest.
The Bordeaux-based net manufacturer LOFTNETS was chosen for the quality of its 50 mm pre-stretched Dyneema® (UHMPE) braided mesh, an ultra-resistant synthetic fibre made from high-performance polyethylene. These nets provide the crew with reliable footing in all conditions, even at speeds exceeding 30 knots.
Day 3 Ranking: LOFTNETS Proud of Its Partner Boats
Less than 12 hours after their early departure, the Ocean Fifty class had already lost nearly a third of its fleet. Lazare X Hellio, Koesio and Inter Invest capsized; all skippers are safe and the boats secured, but this rough start raises questions.
Solidaires en Peloton remains in 3rd place (behind Wewise and Edenred 5), just ahead of Le Rire Médecin Lamotte in 4th. The all-female crew of WindUp by MerConcept opted for caution, allowing them to stay in the race in 7th position. Inter Invest (formerly Thibaut VC’s Multi 50) had to withdraw after capsizing during the first night.