Transat Café L'OR

The IMOCA fleet has never been sharper for crossing the Atlantic double-handed. After the success of 2025 — 18 boats on the starting line, record digital audiences, and a commanding victory by Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière — the Transat Café L'OR returns in October 2027 with heightened ambitions. And a status to defend: that of the must-attend offshore racing event for duos.

The Route du Café legacy, version 2.0

Behind the name "Transat Café L'OR" lies the DNA of a legendary transatlantic race. Historically linked to the Route du Café and the Transat Jacques Vabre, the event has taken a strategic turn in recent years. The 2025 edition definitively anchored its new identity, with a crystal-clear positioning: to become the double-handed IMOCA reference.

This rebranding goes beyond the logo. It comes with increased professionalism in the organization and internationalization of the crews. In 2025, we saw Franco-Japanese duos, Swiss pairings — the race now speaks multiple languages.

A telling growth curve

The numbers tell the story better than any long speech. From 12 boats in 2023, the fleet grew to 18 units on the starting line in 2025. This density reflects the health of the IMOCA class and the format's relevance for sponsors. The 2025 finish live stream topped 300,000 views — a strong signal for a sport long confined to niche audiences.

Le Havre → Fort-de-France: 3,500 miles of truth

The course remains a demanding Atlantic classic. Start from Le Havre, in Normandy, for approximately 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km) to Martinique. The menu is substantial.

First, escape the English Channel — treacherous in autumn, between vicious currents and maritime traffic. Then negotiate the Bay of Biscay before tackling the real strategic choices: round the Azores high to the south to catch the trade winds, or attempt a more direct, riskier route.

October, month of all dangers

The race window (October-November) exposes the fleet to North Atlantic autumn depressions. Even the Caribbean arrival, despite the promise of downwind trades, holds its share of traps — the intertropical convergence zone, tropical squalls capable of reshuffling the deck just miles from Fort-de-France.

In 2025, conditions allowed the winner to complete the course in just under 16 days. But they also caused major damage: Paprec Arkéa was forced into a technical return shortly after the start.

The art of double-handed: pushing the machines to 100%

The double-handed format is what makes this race so unique in the IMOCA calendar. Neither solo like the Vendée Globe, nor fully crewed like The Ocean Race — an in-between that changes everything.

While one skipper manages navigation and weather, the other can focus on fine-tuning or sleep. Result: the boats run at full capacity almost continuously. Average speeds are high, gaps often razor-thin at the finish.

The race is reserved for 60-foot (18.28 m) monohulls of the IMOCA class. The majority are now equipped with foils — appendages that allow them to "fly" above the water. The 2027 edition will place even more emphasis on mechanical reliability, a critical issue after the foil breakages and returns to port observed in 2025.

The forces in play: from 2025 to 2027

The 2025 edition established a hierarchy. Confirming it — or overturning it — will be the challenge of 2027.

The defending champions

• Charal — Jérémie Beyou & Morgan Lagravière: undisputed winners in 2025, crossing the line in Fort-de-France on November 7 after 15 days, 22 hours and 30 minutes. Their mastery of the Charal foiler makes them the duo to beat.
• Macif Santé Prévoyance — Sam Goodchild & Loïs Berrehar: 3rd place in 2025 and a consistency that establishes them among legitimate victory contenders.

Challengers to watch

• TeamWork - Team SNEF — Justine Mettraux & Xavier Macaire: superb 5th place in 2025 for this mixed duo who animated the race at the front. The kind of crew capable of taking the next step.
• Fives Group – Lantana Environnement — Louis Duc & Masa Suzuki: this Franco-Japanese pairing finished 14th overall and 2nd among daggerboard boats (without foils) in 16 days and 18 hours. Proof that older-generation machines can still pull off formidable tactical moves.
• Paprec Arkéa — Yoann Richomme & Corentin Douguet: their 2025 race will be remembered as one of the most spectacular. Damage, turnaround, then a lightning comeback — 14 days and 13 hours of effective race time. The pure speed potential is there, what remains is to convert it without incident.

Find the complete calendar and boat specs on spencer.club.

Stakes beyond the finish line

Evolving economic models

Sailing sponsorship is reinventing itself. In December 2025, skipper Sébastien Marsset unveiled an unprecedented financing model, based not on traditional advertising spend but on the performance of invested treasury. A disruptive approach that could inspire new partnerships for teams competing in 2027 — at a time when every project seeks to rationalize costs while maximizing impact.

The battle for digital audience

The 2025 edition was marked by intensive live coverage: finishes broadcast live, highly followed analysis podcasts like Pos. Report. For 2027, the challenge will be to transform this audience into lasting engagement. The human and technological narratives of the race are the raw material — what remains is to script them for an audience that consumes sport differently.

A springboard to the 2028 Vendée Globe

The 2027 Transat Café L'OR doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's part of a dense cycle and will serve as the final major rehearsal before the 2028 Vendée Globe, whose rules were revealed in late 2025. Teams will use this crossing to validate their final technical modifications and accumulate precious qualifying miles.

That's where the tension of this edition lies: each skipper must balance the quest for immediate results with preserving their boat for the solo round-the-world race that follows.

Follow news of this race and the entire IMOCA season on spencer.club.