Weather forecast
                 over race area of Solidaire Chocolat 2009

General synopsis by October 19, 2009 at 00h
Low 983 hPa 55N and 30W moving southeast and deepening, expected 969 hPa 53N and 18W by
20/00h utc,then filling slowly, expected 973 hPa 52N and 16W by 21/00h utc. Associated cold front
reaching cape Finisterre on night, moving east 28/30nds, and crossing Bay of Biscay tomorrow.
High 1023 hPa over Germany moving east.






Weather forecast from October 19, 2009 at 9UTC to October 21, 2009 at 00UTC
West of YEU, West of ROCHEBONNE:
Southeast 18/23kt veering Southwest 20/25kt until 20/00h utc, backing South or Southwest 30/35kt
gusts 45kt between 00h and 09h utc, then veering West or Southwest 15/20kt gusts 35 kt. Sea
becoming rough or very rough. Rain then showers.
East of YEU, East of ROCHEBONNE:
Southeast 15/20kt veering South or Southwest until 20/00h utc, backing Southerly 25/30kt gusts
40kt between 00h and 09h utc, then decreasing 15/20kt. Sea moderate becoming locally rough. Rain
then showers.
West of CANTABRICO
Southerly 15/20kt veering Southwest 23/28kt until 18h utc, increasing 30/35kt gusts 45kt until 20
or 03utc, veering West or Southwest 15/20kt until 12h utc, then increasing 20/25kt gusts 35 kt. Sea
becoming rough or very rough. Rain then showers.
PAZENN
Southerly 20/25kt backing South or Southwest 30/35kt gusts 50kt until 20/00h utc, veering West or
Southwest 15/20kt until 12h utc, then backing Southwest 23/28kt gusts 40 kt. Sea rough or very
rough, croisée. Sea becoming high (wave 6 or 8 m) in west. Rain then showers or squalls.
FINISTERRE
Southwest 25/30 kt gusts 40kt, increasing 30/35kt gusts 55kt until 20/00h utc, veering West or
Southwest 18/23kt until 12h utc, then increasing 23/28kt gusts 45 kt. Sea rough or very rough,
cross. Sea becoming high (wave 6 or 7 m) in northwest. Rain then showers.
East of ROMEO
South or Southwest 30/35kt gusts 50kt veering Westerly 25/30kt until 18h utc, then increasing
30/35kt gusts 45kt. Sea becoming high or very high (wave 8 or 10m) in Northwest swell. Rain then
squalls.
East of CHARCOT
Southwest 25/30kt gusts 50kt veering West or Northwest 23/28kt until 20/00h utc, then increasing
25/30kt gusts 40 kt. Sea becoming high (wave 6 or 8m) in Northwest swell. Rain then showers.
PORTO
West or Southwest 13/18kt backing Southwest 23/28kt until 20/00h utc gusts 40 kt, veering West or
Northwest 20/25kt until 12h utc, then decreasing 15/20kt gusts 40 kt. Sea moderate becoming very
rough in Northwest swell. Rain then showers.

Further outlook for next 24 hour
Strong wind warning (> 33 kt) : Westerly 30/35kt over CHARCOT, ALTAIR

Tropical activity
None

on Monday, October 19, 2009 at 08? UTC
Anne Couzinier
Météo-France

An impressive crowd came to salute the forty-eight sailors casting off from Saint Nazaire bound for the Mexican state of Yucatan this afternoon. Thousands of people squeezed in along the dockside to watch the fleet pass through the lock exit, whilst others crowed onto the sea wall and beach to watch the start from terra firma

The Race Committee indicated that the start of the first edition of the Solitaire du Chocolat will be fired at 17h50. The 24 boats will be in race start procedure conditions from 17h42.

At 16h45 on Sunday, a cargo vessel had to pass through the entrance channel on her way to Donges. The Solidaire du Chocolat Race Management decided to delay the start of the race for the 24 Class 40s by half an hour. The boats have to be towed out of the lock onto the race starting area off the east jetty in Saint Nazaire. There was also a slight problem with the hydraulics of the gates which meant that the mechanics of the opening and closing operations were slowed.

At 17h30 on Saturday, a decentralized cooperation agreement was signed between the state of Yucatan, the Pays de la Loire region and the town of Saint Nazaire. The agreement concerns the domains of research, agriculture, training, new technology and sustainable tourism. This protocol was consolidated in the presence of Joël Batteux, mayor of Saint Nazaire, Reina Quinta, mayor of Progreso, M Poblano, head of economic affairs at the Mexican embassy, Juan Martin, secretary of state for tourism in the Yucatan and Jacques Auxiette, CEO of the Région des Pays de la Loire. This cooperation agreement will be put into effect very quickly. A delegation will be sent over to the Yucatan for the finish of the race.

The « Toiles Enchantées » had an ambassador by 18h30 on Saturday with the ex-Robin des Bois PEF, less well known as Pierre-François Martin Laval. The actor-director is also sailing mad and regularly accompanies the association on film showing organized in hospitals. Alongside Jacques Fournier, skipper of Groupe Picoty and President of the Class 40, and Jean-Edouard Criquioche, co-skipper and cinema owner behind the partnership, the film maker named the boat in the company of Gisèle Tsobanian, President of the « Toiles Enchantées », who will be receiving the donation from the Picoty group, the patron supporting the association.

Profits to Mexican associations
Saturday 17th October at 12H00
Menu created by Eric Guérin from the Mare aux Oiseaux and Christophe Roussel, Chef pâtissier in La Baule
Maki de St Jacques, pomme, Butternut, vinaigrette au chocolat
Travers de porc confits, carré de polenta au grué, jus pipillos, un trait de chocolat épicé.
Surprise chocolat
Glass of muscadet
Produced with the help of students from the Lycée Hôtelier Olivier Guichard de Guérande.
Cost : 25 euros
Tickets available from the chocolate bar at the entrance to the Village.

Chocolate exhibition open on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th October from 14h00 to19h00. Not to be missed!
Hall d'Exposition de la Maison de l'Avocat
25 rue Lanoüe Bras de Fer - NANTES

Need to take to the waves ? Fancy sailing 5 000 miles on the longest ever transatlantic yacht race from Nantes Saint-Nazaire  to the Yucatan, exploring little known waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico ? Curious to experience and share in the solidarity of this human adventure sailing alongside the 24 crews entered representing 10 nationalities? What about having to make major strategic decisions and daring weather options? Register now to be on the virtual starting line of the Solidaire du Chocolat game hosted by France 3 at : http://regate-virtuelle.france3.fr/transat_FTVI.php

As partner to the race and patron to the Nantes-based association Toit à Moi, Bel'M has been involved physically and socially for 10 years now in an ambitious project of environmental and social responsibility. Values of progress, open-mindedness and solidarity are deeply-rooted in the corporate culture and the minds of the 600 employees. This morning, 250 of them were present with industrial director François Guérin, race organiser  Damien Grimont and Denis Castin, chairman of the association Toit à Moi, which works to provide accommodation for homeless individuals and in providing them with genuine support. Thierry Bourchard and Oliver Krauss, will be flying the colours of this particular project. The company, an entrance door specialist, made an emotional presentation. The two skippers, no doubt fully appreciate the extent of the support and encouragement brought to them by the personnel of Bel'M, way beyond the competition itself and the sporting objectives which drive them.