Transat Jacques Vabre: how much do the winners of each category earn?

Armel Le Cléac'h and Sébastien Josse won the Transat Jacques Vabre on Sunday in the premier category, that of Ultim, these maxi-trimarans of more than thirty meters. The two teammates will be able to share a victory bonus of 40,000 euros. Second place will be rewarded with 25,000 euros and third with a check for 15,000 euros. Amounts which seem very derisory compared to the sums invested in the project of an Ultim like Banque Populaire whose manufacturing costs are estimated at around ten million euros, without including operating costs over the seasons.

These amounts are also lower than those of the Route du rhum, the transatlantic race which takes place between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe but alone. Last year, Charles Caudrelier pocketed a jackpot of 64,000 euros after his success on the maxi Edmond de Rothschild and his pursuer, François Gabart on SVR Lazartigue, pocketed 40,000 euros. Third on the podium, Thomas Coville on Sodebo left the Antilles with a check for 25,000 euros.

The reward reserved for the Ultims at the finish of the Route du Café is, however, lower than that of the Imoca, the Vendée Globe monohulls. The winner of this Class will receive 70,000 euros, 40,000 € for second and 30,000 € for third. The tenth can count on a small nest egg of 10,000 euros. Not enough to reimburse the registration fees in this category since these are between €16,000 and €20,800 excluding tax depending on the date of validation of the file.

The first five in the Ocean Fifty category will be rewarded, €40,000 for the winner, €25,000 and €15,000 for the other two crews on the podium. Finally, the first ten monohulls in Class40 can also claim a prize, ranging from €20,000 for the crowned pair, to €2,500 for the tandem which brings up the rear of the Top 10.