Transat Paprec - An inflated start for Cap StBarth

On Sunday April 20, the 19 Transat Paprec crews left the port of Concarneau bound for Saint-Barth. Between saying goodbye to family and winning the coastal course, the Cap Saint-Barth crew (Cindy Brin and Thomas André) had an unforgettable start.

Final preparations

Damien Cloarec, coach and technical trainer for the Cap Saint-Barth crew
On Saturday morning, the Breton sun finally came out. The previous day's uninterrupted rain had taken its toll on Cindy's phone. Just one more task on an already busy day, just one day before the start. In the port of Concarneau, visitors take advantage of the mild weather to stroll through the departure village. Leaning against the fences, spectators admire the Figaro Bénéteau 3s moored below. The skippers come and go on the pontoon to complete their final preparations. On the black-hulled Cap Saint-Barth, it's Damien Cloarec who's busy. The professional skipper-turned-coach and technical trainer is checking that everything is in place: "We're at D-1, I've just finished the final touches, the boat is ready! Safety equipment, double sails, clothes, food and 120 liters of water are all checked off the list: "Everything is important," insists Damien Cloarec. Once they've set off, if they've forgotten anything, they can't come back home. "Having already sailed transatlantic races, the Breton knows that little things can make all the difference, like those three little words of encouragement left in the boat. It's a very tough adventure psychologically, they're going to spend 18 days at sea in this small space," explains the coach. When you're feeling a bit down, it gives you a boost. "You can see the complicity between the coach and the youngsters he's been following for months. This adventure resonates particularly with the Breton: In 2010, it was he who sailed the "Concarneau-Saint-Barth" alongside a Saint-Barth, Miguel Danet, when the race was called the Transat Ag2r (the crew finished in 22nd place, out of 25). "I couldn't have dreamed of anything better," smiles Damien.

Navigator Philippe Poupon christened the Cap Saint-Barth boat on Saturday April 19, for which he is godfather.

"Ever since she was a little girl, she's wanted to do the Transat"
As the day progressed, the Cap Saint-Barth boat was never empty. Cindy and Thomas successively welcome the CEM, the Tourist Office and the Collectivité's Sports Department, all of whom have come to see this project come to fruition. An all-male delegation suddenly appears on the pontoon: seven sailors from the Saint-Barth Yacht Club come ashore to cheer on their instructor one last time. "We're so pleased that she's realizing her dream, we're so proud of her! "exclaim the teenagers in chorus. With their pockets full of sweets (Cindy's guilty pleasure), the sailors give her these treats and a gift. "Are you trying to make me cry? "Cindy exclaims, leafing through the notebook in which each of the children has left her a little note. The instructor assures us that she'll only be shedding tears when the Transat arrives, or perhaps on the day of departure, when she has to say goodbye to her daughters. Also present on the pontoon, Cindy's mother is trying to contain her emotions: "We're used to calling each other every day, and this won't be possible for 18 days. "Despite this apprehension, Yolande looks proudly at her daughter. Ever since she was a little girl, she's wanted to do the Transat," she points out. And now she can fulfill her dream. "

On the right, alongside the Saint-Barthélemy representatives, JSB's special correspondent in Concarneau, Albane Harmange.

Suddenly, a delegation appears on the pontoon: seven sailors from the Saint-Barth Yacht Club come ashore to cheer on their instructor one last time.

Support from friends and family
The next morning, Yolande could hardly contain her tears. And she's not the only one. On the pontoon in Concarneau, the emotion of the families is palpable. The parents of some of the skippers embrace their offspring, the youngest in the race being 19 years old. When it's the sailors themselves saying goodbye to their children, the spectators' hearts are also in their throat. Tears are not far away when Cindy hugs her two little girls, her partner and her mother one last time. But it's impossible to see if the island native is shedding any tears, as she hides her eyes behind her gold sunglasses. After a final embrace with the coach, the skipper joined her team-mate, Thomas André, on the Cap Saint-Barth boat. Le Breton was able to count on the support of his family, like his grandmother, who shared her pride in seeing her grandson cross the Atlantic for a second time.

At the moment of departure, Cindy Brin's teammate Thomas André waved to the crowd, shouting "kenavo"!

At 10:48, the Figaro 3 pulled away from the Concarneau pontoon and headed out to sea. Smiling from ear to ear, Thomas vigorously waved to the crowd, shouting "goodbye" in Breton. Cindy, for her part, opted for the patois, addressing the inhabitants of Saint-Barth directly: "Ch'con-né pa si vouzot é paré, min on é su la route, on é kariv. Donc, a tré vit. "