As has been the case every year since its launch in 2006 in Deauville, NORMANDY SAILING WEEK has racked up an ever increasing number of competitors, despite a busy sports schedule and several other important events in close proximity. In this way, nearly 110 crews have registered to date for NORMANDY SAILING WEEK 2011, with some still yet to sign up before the start of the event this Friday 10 June in Le Havre, where the M34 series from the Tour de France à la Voile will open proceedings. Continue reading
Sponsoring
Normandy Channel Race : Victory for Initiatives Saveurs!
“A legendary race” commented Dominic Vittet at the finish, co-skipper on the Class40 L’Express Sapmer. However, after 4 days of intense, action-packed racing it was Tanguy de Lamotte and Sébastien Audigane aboard Initiatives Saveurs who took victory. On the second step of the podium were Fabien Delahaye and Bruno Jourdren on Port de Caen – Ouistreham and in third position Des pieds et des mains helmed by Damien Seguin and Yoann Richomme.
Nearly 870 miles were covered at an average speed of 8.39 knots. The change of course, much awaited by the racers, shortened the course distance by 170 miles but took nothing away from the quality of the competition. Continue reading
Normandy Channel Race : A straight downhill run to the finish!
24 hours before the arrival of the first Class40s, the battle is continuing to rage. It is impossible today to announce the name of the winner, given that the distances between the 3 leaders are so slim. Port de Caen Ouistreham and Initiatives Saveurs have been neck and neck for over a day. At 1000 GMT, Fabien Delahaye and Bruno Jourdren had a lead of just 0.1 miles over Tanguy de Lamotte and Sébastien Audigane. At 1400 GMT, the two crews were completely tied in terms of theoretical distance to the finish. At the last radio session, Initiatives Saveurs had passed back into the lead off Land’s End, just 200 metres ahead of Port de Caen – Ouistreham. Enough to send even the best bookmakers into a spin!
Clearly the change of course has done nothing to upset the furious pace of the race. The 12 competitors are maintaining some fairly high speeds. In a few hours’ time, they’ll pass Land’s End to begin a long run down towards Guernsey. After that there will be two Norman headlands to round, before they cross the finish line later afternoon tomorrow, Thursday. Continue reading
Normandy Channel Race : An event taking off!
2010 was synonymous with the launch of this new demanding race, and it proved to be a big hit among the first participants. 2011 isn’t yet a fully matured year, but with an exceptionally high quality competitive line-up that is virtually double the size, it does reflect the interest that the concept inspires with racers from the Class40 and beyond. The event’s image has been strengthened and developed along its initial lines: an international meeting, a demanding race and course, an event carried by the Norman territory with numerous events on shore to welcome skippers.
It would certainly be hard to call the 2011 winner who will succeed Thomas Ruyant – Destination Dunkerque -, winner of the Route du Rhum the same year! Continue reading
MaxSea sponsoring the Normandy Channel Race 2011
NORMANDY CHANNEL RACE: DEFINITIVELY INTERNATIONAL !
With just days to go until the official closing of registration, the Normandy Channel Race boasts eighteen Class 40s (ten in 2010). Furthermore, the latest crew entries come as further proof that this race isn’t just reserved for Frenchies! With over half the participating duos having their roots overseas, this 2011 edition will be definitively international! Continue reading
Les Voiles de St Barth second edition : It’s a wrap!
The Weather Gods blessed St. Barthélemy from April 5 – 9, taking care to offer more than 400 competitors from 20 nations and on 48 yachts a week of perfect Caribbean sailing during the Les Voiles de St. Barth. Dominating the conditions were trade wind breezes that ranged from 17 – 32 knots, a fairly gentle Atlantic swell, and blue skies. After four days of intense racing, separated by one day reserved for competitors and friends to discover this quaint little corner of France, the second edition of Les Voiles de St. Barth seems to have etched out a place in the growing list of “must do” Caribbean events.
Like for many new regattas, the best growth is slow and steady. The first edition of Les Voiles de St. Barth, in 2010, had 23 yachts, while this year the fleet grew to 48, and with positive reports coming back from competing sailors, that number can only grow. “What’s not to like?” was the commonly asked rhetorical question. After winters in both the U.S. and Europe produced record snowfall and cold temperatures, an April trip to St. Barth was a no-brainer for most. Continue reading
Les Voiles de Saint Bart : Down the wire
As if to ensure that competitors had seen all the beaches and sights that St. Barth has to offer, race officers today sent the 48-boat Les Voiles de St. Barth fleet on its final circumnavigation counter-clockwise around the eight-square mile island: a 30-nautical mile course for the Maxis, and a 23-nautical mile course for the Racing, Racing Cruising, Classics, and Multihulls. This morning, rain clouds scudded over the island, which by the 1100 start time caused some impressive shifts in wind direction and velocity on the right side of the race course. Once around the southern end of the island, the boats were into a 17 knot east-southeasterly with a three-foot sea. While it qualified as the lightest wind speeds for the week, it still ranked as great sailing conditions. Continue reading
Barcelona World Race – Desjoyeaux into the lead with MaxSea Time Zero.
Michel Desjoyeaux and François Gabart (Foncia) take the lead of the fleet on Monday morning at 06h in the Barcelona World Race, the non-stop round-the-world yacht race for crews of two.
Aboard Foncia, is the software MaxSea Time Zero, developed by MaxSea International, worldwide leader in marine navigation software. Following the extraordinary 2009 campaign with victories in the Vendee Globe and the Istanbul Europa Race on Foncia, MaxSea International has renewed its technical partnership with Team Mer Agitée of Michel Desjoyeaux.
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MaxSea will sponsor the 2nd edition of “Les Voiles de Barth”
We are proud to announce that MaxSea International will sponsor the second edition of Les Voiles de Saint Barth also called the French West Indies Regatta, which is scheduled from the 4th to 9th April 2011.
MaxSea International will work with the race direction team by providing the complete navigation software MaxSea Time Zero and Mapmedia electronic charts that will allow real time monitoring of the fleet and up to date progress reports of the competition as it unfolds. Continue reading