At dawn on Friday, the 17th edition of the Transat Café L’OR ended in triumph for the IMOCA fleet as the French pair Jérémie Beyou and Morgan Lagravière Charal 2 won the Transat Cafe Lor. They posted an elapsed time of 11 days, 19 hours, 45 minutes and 18 seconds for the trans-Atlantic run from Le Havre to Martinique.
The Race: Tradition Meets Modern Offshore Speed
This biennial double-handed event covers the Atlantic route from Le Havre (France) to Fort-de-France (Martinique), drawing some of the world’s top offshore crews in multiple classes. For the IMOCA 60 class, the challenge is as much about navigating light-air ridges, variable seas and strategic routing as it is about pure foiling speed.
From the start, Beyou and Lagravière made a statement. Beyou later reflected: “The start was really intense… the boat was flying – it was really impressive. I think it must have looked spectacular from the outside. We had a cannonball start and it felt great to be out in front of the fleet – we were really happy about that.”
On board Charal 2, the tempo rarely dropped. “It’s been a lot of transitions — going through the breeze, then some pretty full-on reaching in rough seas, hitting speeds of up to 35 knots, with a few sail changes on the way,” Beyou said, describing the early phases of the race.
At one key juncture, the intensity peaked: “Ça a été très intense pendant plus d’une vingtaine d’heures dans le week-end… On a cassé nos quarts et on est tous les deux sur le pont depuis dimanche midi.” That level of relentless effort paid off, placing the duo in prime position as the trade-wind run to the Caribbean unfolded.
The Winning Team & Their Boat
The synergy aboard Charal 2 was noted by co-skipper Morgan Lagravière, who reported “Bonne ambiance et bateau au top !” — capturing both the spirit in the cockpit and the performance of the machine.
Charal 2, launched in 2022, blends refined foiling technology with a crew of high-performing sailors. Her victory in this edition underlines the importance of not only engineering and boat speed but also of crew cohesion, tactical choices and endurance.
What It Means Going Forward
For Beyou, this win reaffirms his place at the sharp end of the IMOCA fleet, while for Lagravière it further cements his position as a double-handed specialist with now three consecutive wins in this event. Their performance highlights how modern offshore racing demands both razor-sharp decision-making and sustained physical and mental output.
As we look ahead to upcoming campaigns and potentially the next solo campaigns or round-the-world efforts, the success of Beyou/Lagravière and Charal 2 will be a benchmark for performance, teamwork and resilience.
