Solidaire du Chocolat

At 2:25 am, local time, on Saturday 14th November, Tanguy de Lamotte and Adrien Hardy on Initiatives-Novedia crossed the finish line off Progreso taking first place in La Solidaire du Chocolat. “It’s fantastic,” said Lamotte after crossing the finish line. “I had no idea there would be so many people here waiting for us. Thanks to the race organization for putting on such a great race. We are truly very happy!”

1st place: Initiatives-Novedia
Victoria de Tanguy de Lamotte and Adrien Hardy (France), after 26 days 16 hours and 35 minutes.
2nd place: Telecom Italia
Giovanni Soldini and Pietro D’Ali (Italy), 19 hours 00 minutes and 20 seconds after the first place.
3rd place: Cheminées Poujoulat
Bruno Jourdren and Bernard Stamm (France), 18 minutes and 44 seconds after the second place.
4th place: Cargill-MTTM
Damien Seguin and Armel Tripon (France), after 28 days, 10 hours, 51 minutes and 55 seconds.
5th place: Sail4Cancer
Tim Wright and Nicko Brennan (England)
6th place: Desafío Cabo de Hornos
Felipe Cubillos and Daniel Bravo Silva (Chile) 29 days, 10 hours, 28 minutes and 20 seconds.
7th place: 40 Degrees
Miranda Merron and Peter Harding, after 29 days, 16 hours and 20 minutes.
8th place: Groupe Picoty
Jacques Fournier and Jean-Edouard Criquioche, after 31 days, 10 hours, 48 minutes and 00 seconds.
 9th place: Plan les enfants changeront le monde
Denis Lazat and Frédéric Nouel
10th place: Axa Atout Cœur Pour Aides
Erik Nigon and Marc Jouany
11th place: Keysource
Mike West and Paul Worswick
12th place: Crédit Maritime
Patrice Carpentier and Victor Maldonado
13th place: Adriatech
David Consorte and Arnaud Aubry
14th place: ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital 'Saving Sight Worldwide
Stephen Card and Shaun Murphy, 207.02

The Solidaire du Chocolat is the only transatlantic race exclusively for Class 40 sailboats, ensuring improved visibility for the entire Class 40 association and the boats involved. It is a double-handed, non-stop transatlantic race over a new course; a transatlantic race that shares the Class 40 values of sporting endeavour, solidarity, sharing and friendliness. The race had a departure on October 18, 2009 from Nantes-Saint-Nazaire, with destination of Progreso, Yucatan. The route is 5000 miles (9260 km) with a passage to the north of the West Indies. The state of Yucatan gave the boats a warm welcome, and there are several events planned through Saturday, Nov. 21.

The idea of associating chocolate with a nautical event stems from the history of France and México. The Mayas were the first to cultivate the cocoa bean in the 17th century BC on the Yucatán Península. The divine drink Xocoatl made from cocoa was said to nourish man after death, and its life-giving and aphrodisiac properties were already well known. Beans were dried, ground, mixed with hot water and then flavored with chile, spices or vanilla. Spaniard Hernan Cortés disembarked in Mexico in 1519, conquering the New World, and discovered Xocoatl (chocolate). Years later, the Belem ship, which was built in Nantes, used to transport cocoa beans from South America to France. For several years, the ship undertook various journeys, delivering sugar and cocoa to the city of Nantes.

But this project is not simply a sailing race. The organizers have decided to create “The First Solidarity Transatlantic race”. Each boat will support a charity with a patron to provide financial support for the charitable project. There are 24 charities participating, including World Wildlife Fund, Sail 4 Cancer, and Save The Children. The patron undertakes to donate €25,000 to the charity.

The race also opened several bilateral agreements which will bring direct benefits to the Yucatecan people. The agreements signed on October 17 include cooperation in sustainable tourism, the environment, fair trade, and agro-industrial projects. Other topics include treatment of marine water, education, and culture, as well as student exchange programs between universities.

On October 18 the race began in Saint Nazaire, with the participation of 24 boats, and 48 brave sailors representing 12 nationalities, including the Mexican Victor Maldonado. The festivities included a performance by the Ballet Folklórico of the state of Yucatán, Yucatecan Trova by the Grupo Yahal-Cab, and the indelible memory of the mural by Tábata Flores. Hundreds of Saint Nazaire residents were on hand to bid farewell as the sailors began their 3-week journey across the Atlantic to Progreso.

In the future, it will run every two years during the same period. For more information: www.lasolidaireduchocolat.com