Solo trans-Atlantic sailing race cancelled

The Transat, a single-handed race across the Atlantic which was due to celebrate its 60th anniversary this year, was cancelled on Wednesday because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The race, due to set sail from Brest for the first time on May 10, is run every four years. The finish would have been in Charleston, South Carolina.

Organisers had considered starting in July but following the latest French measures unveiled on Tuesday, said the Transat would not be raced until 2024.

"We have done our utmost to find a solution that would allow us to postpone the race however none of the scenarios lived up to our expectations in terms of sport, the volume of boats entered, the media engagement and the public activation," said Herve Favre, president of the organisers said on the race website.

Before this year the race had always started from Plymouth, in England. Previous race or class winners include Francis Chichester, Eric Tabarly, Loick Peyron and Ellen MacArthur.