A record edition of the Drheam Cup/Grand Prix de France de course au large will be held from July 16 to 24. Almost 100 boats have signed up for the race, which runs from Cherbourg-en-Cotentin to La Trinité-sur-Mer. It will also be an opportunity for the âeuro giants of the seas, the âeuro Ultime trimarans, to compete in their first race of the year. Privileged by Transat CIC, they will be able to sail a 1âeuros000 mile course specially designed for them, with a long passage through the Irish Sea, between Fastnet and the Isle of Man.
3 Ultimes
The starting line on July 19 will feature the Maxi Edmond de Rothschild winner of the Brest Atlantiques in December 2019, led by Charles Caudrelier and Franck Cammas. Morgan Lagravière, Erwan Israel, David Boileau and Yann Riou will complete the crew.
At his side, Sodebo Ultim 3 led by Thomas Coville and now fully flying, with new load-bearing surfaces on the centreboard and rudder.
"It will enable us to build up power, continue to fine-tune the crew and adjust our automatic systems. Taking a start and completing a course is the best exercise you can do to prepare for a Jules Verne" explains Thomas Coville.
The latter is preparing for the Jules Verne Trophy at the end of the year, as are Caudrelier-Cammas.
Finally, Yves le Blévec and his trimaran Actual will complete the trio of big trimarans. Amélie Grassi, Estelle Greck and Amélie Riou on the women's side; on the men's side, Anthony Marchand, partnered by the experienced Alex Pella, Yves' co-skipper on Brest Atlantiques, will be alongside skipper Actual Leader.
4 Multi50
In addition to the giants of the seas, the Drheam Cup/Grand Prix de France de Course au large will also welcome several Multi50s over a 736-mile course:
- Solidaires en Peloton-ARSEP led by reigning winner Thibaut Vauchel-Camus. He will be joined by Billy Besson, skipper of the French SailGP team, Corentin Douguet and Louis Viat.
- Leyto n, (the former Arkema winner in 2016) a newcomer to the class, led by Arthur Le Vaillant, who will no doubt be surrounded by his father Jean-Baptiste, a true multihull specialist, Aymeric Chappellier, who like him comes from the Class40, and Christophe Espagnon.
- Ciela Village entrusted to Erwan Le Roux by owner Thierry Bouchard.
- Primonial with Sébastien Rogues at the helm, whose optimization project has been delayed by the confinement, and who will be doing his utmost to make it to the start.
Crew format for Class40s
The Class40s, which also missed out on the Transat QuébecâeurosSaint-Malo, will retain their crewed format for the race. Banque du Léman, representing the new generation of 40-foot boats with their rounded scow-shaped bows, will be skippered by Swiss sailors Valentin Gautier and Simon Koster, accompanied by their compatriot Justine Mettraux.
Also on the starting line are Lamotte-Module Création, skippered by Malouin-British sailor Luke Berry; Black Mamba, the defending champion, which has passed from the hands of Yoann Richomme to those of Normandy sailor Nicolas Jossier; the former Leyton, now christened Entraide Marine, skippered by Charles-Louis Mourruau; and Everial, skippered by filmmaker-navigator Stanislas Thuret, surrounded by Everial CEO Lionel Garcia and Roland Jourdain.
General rehearsal for the Solitaire Urgo Le Figaro for the Figaro boats
Almost all the contenders for victory will be present on the 428-mile course, which will serve as a qualifier for the Solitaire Urgo Le Figaro. Armel Le Cléac'h (Banque Populaire), Vendée Globe champion and two-time winner of the Solitaire, Vincent Riou (Capmar), back on the Figaro Bénéteau circuit, the always formidable Gildas Mahé (Breizh Cola), Cherbourg's Alexis Loison (Région Normandie), the Englishmen Sam Goodchild (Leyton), Phil Sharp (Oceans Lab) and Alan Roberts (Seacat Services), normandy's Fabien Delahaye (Loubsol), as well as the younger generation led by Tom Laperche (Bretagne CMB Espoir), winner of the Solo Maître CoQ at the end of June, Pierre Quiroga and Erwan Le Draoulec (Skipper Macif), Loïs Berrehar (Bretagne CMB Performance), Gaston Morvan, and two newcomers to the Figaro Bénéteau circuit, Elodie Bonafous (Bretagne CMB Performance) and Violette Dorange (Les Apprentis d'Auteuil).
