Last race before the round
The Diam 24 OD fleet will be in the Seine estuary from 15 to 18 June. The 2nd edition of the Normandy Cup, in Le Havre, will be the opportunity for the trimaran crews to make a final rehearsal, less than a month before the start of the Tour de France à la Voile, scheduled for July 7 in Dunkirk. As during the big loop, the sailors will alternate coastal raids and nautical stadium events.
In addition to small multihulls, Le Havre also welcomes sailboats with IRC or Osiris ratings and sportboats. A 100-mile night race is planned for the inhabitants.
Headliners ready to go for it
The Normandy Cup stage will bring together the majority of the contenders for the victory of the Tour de France à la Voile. In particular, Quentin Delapierre and Mathieu Salomon sur Lorina (winner of the 1st Normandy Cup and winner of the Tour de France à la Voile 2016), Damien Seguin aboard the FDJ Foundation (2016 Paralympic champion in 2.4mR), Bernard Stamm on Cheminées Poujoulat, Le Havre Guillaume Pirouelle on Beijaflore. Or Sofian Bouvet (selected for the 2016 Olympic Games in 470) on SFS.
Bernard Stamm, the skipper of the trimaran Cheminée Poujoulat, underlines the interest of this race. "The Normandy Cup is an important regatta. For us, it's the last one before the Tour de France under sail, after a big preparation since the beginning of the year. Its format, made of coastal raids and stadium, will allow us to train well in the perspective of the Tour. This is our second participation. Last year I remember a wonderful raid, with air, to Fécamp. It was very nice and very well organized."
Damien Seguin on the FDJ Foundation, for his part, shows his ambitions." This is my first participation in the Normandy Cup. It will allow us to work out the final details. I don't know the water very well. I just took several starts in the Transat Jacques Vabre. But on board, we have connoisseurs from the region. We come with ambitions because we have done some good results in the pre-season. On the other side, we will meet our usual opponents who regularly appear in the top 5: the Lorina team, SFS, or Beijaflore. "
Major events on land and at sea
- Wednesday, June 14
- Diam24 OD Diamond Drive
- Thursday, June 15
- Coastal raid of the Diam24 OD towards Deauville and back to Le Havre
- Friday 16 June
- Regattas in the nautical stage
- 8:00 pm: Start of the IRC/Osiris Great Race
- Saturday 17 June
- Coastal raid of Diam24 OD towards Fécamp and back.
- Sportboat regattas and finish of the big race
- Sunday June 18th
- Coastal and nautical regattas
A shore-based village will welcome the public throughout the event. The Youth America's Cup regattas will be broadcast on the big screen in the village tent, with comments from the Diam24 OD skippers, on Thursday and Friday evenings.
