Banque du Léman finishes fourth in the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre Class40

Simon Koster and Valentin Gautier, on their 40ft monohull, Banque du Léman, have finished fourth in the Class40 of the 14th edition of the Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre after crossing the finish line in the Bay of All Saints in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil on Friday, November 15, 2019 at 00:44:04 (UTC), 18 days, 12 hours 29 minutes and 4 seconds after leaving Le Havre, Normandy, France on Sunday, October 27 at 12:15 (UTC). 

Aïna Enfance & Avenir covered the theoretical course of 4,350 nautical miles at an average speed of 9.79 knots but actually sailed 4,809.13 nautical miles at an average speed of 10.82 knots. It finished 20 hours 7 minutes and 41 seconds behind the winner, Crédit Mutuel.

The Swiss duo on Banque du Léman is another to arrive from the Mini production line, where they earned their sailors' stripes. Like Ian Lipinski, the winner this year, Simon Koster has been forged by his performances in the scow hulls of the Mini 6.50. He asked Samuel Manuard for a new prototype conforming to the Class40 measurements, with maximum power and a spatulated bow to perform better in big seas. 

Like Crédit Mutuel, Banque du Léman was built by the JPS shipyard in La Trinité-sur-Mer, was launched late and the duo had about two weeks of sailing before the start in Le Havre. And they were delayed and diverted during the delivery to Le Havre because they damaged a bulkhead in the delivery. It meant there was a lot of pressure in the first week of the race. They rose to it and were well-placed from the start, but their mileage dropped a little as the toolbox came out (rigging, and masthead electronics). But it was obvious from some passages they put together that Banque du Léman could move. It proved it by going from 11th place off Portugal to 4th at the entrance to the Doldrums. 

Too far away after miles lost in the high-pressure ridge, they could not challenge Aïna Enfance & Avenir for a place on the podium. Their battle has been with Crosscall Chamonix Mont-Blanc  and Made in Midi. The latter could not keep pace in the last long reach after the equator, but the battle with Louis Duc and Aurélien Ducroz remained undecided until this morning. 

Koster and Gautier should be proud of their result, finishing just below the podium in Salvador de Bahia for their first Transat Jacques Vabre Normandie Le Havre on a boat launched a few weeks before the start. Once the boat is well developed, the comparison of its potential on equal terms with Crédit Mutuel will be exciting to follow.