This will be the 17th edition of the race, and over three decades it has become a cornerstone of the offshore sailing calendar. Past champions have gone on to win the Vendée Globe or Route du Rhum, making it both a proving ground and a springboard for future legends.

But the Transat Café L’OR is not only about speed and endurance. Since 2009, the event has been officially recognized by ADEME for its commitment to sustainability. The race organization monitors its environmental impact and encourages skippers to adopt innovative and eco-conscious practices. In 2025, a new Commitment Prize will reward the crew judged most virtuous in this respect—proof that the Atlantic challenge is also a call to responsibility.

The starting line is set in Le Havre, France, and the finish once again in Fort-de-France, Martinique — the third consecutive edition to celebrate its conclusion in the Caribbean. The crossing covers roughly 4,000 nautical miles, depending on class and course.

What makes 2025 unique is the ambition for a group finish: through careful route planning, organizers hope all four classes will reach Martinique around the same time, amplifying media impact and turning the arrival into a shared festival.

The four classes competing are:

• IMOCA (60-foot monohulls): The workhorses of ocean racing, renowned for their power and endurance, and the same boats that race the Vendée Globe.
• Class40: Accessible yet highly competitive 40-foot monohulls, where innovation meets tight class rules.
• Ocean Fifty: Lightweight, high-performance 50-foot trimarans, fast and spectacular in downwind conditions.
• Ultim: The giants of the sea—100-foot multihulls capable of extraordinary speeds and record-breaking crossings.

Each class has its own course, but all share the same spirit: double-handed racing across the Atlantic, side by side with nature’s raw power.

The Transat Café L’OR has always been defined by its sailors—individuals and duos who push themselves, and their machines, beyond known limits.

For 2025, close to 200 sailors will take part, with established names joining ambitious newcomers. Among them, we are proud to announce the following Helly Hansen ambassadors:

Class 40

• Aurélien Ducroz (France)
• Jules Bonnier (France)
• Sasha Lanièce (France)
• Sophie Faguet (France)
• Sanni Beucke (Germany)
• Milan Kolacek (Czech Republic)

IMOCA

• Armel Tripon (France)
• Maxime Sorel (France)
• Nicolas D'estais (France)
• Romain Attanasio (France)

OCEAN 50

• Laurent Bourgues (France)
• Mathieu Perraut (France)
• Pierre Quiroga (France)

ULTIM

• Thomas Coville (France)

At its heart, the Transat Café L’OR is a paradox: a brutal ocean challenge that simultaneously inspires collective celebration. It is about technology and tradition, endurance and elegance, risk and reward.

When the first sails appear on the horizon of Martinique, after days or weeks of relentless sea, each finish is more than a result on a leaderboard — it is a human story of courage, partnership, and discovery.

This October, as the 17th edition departs Le Havre, the Atlantic will once again remind us why we look to the horizon: because it calls us forward.

Follow our social media channels and official website of the competition for more updates.