"The history of the Multi50 class is linked to all the major transatlantic races and ocean racing. For the past 15 years, we've been trying to develop this class with new challenges, while ensuring that it remains accessible with affordable budgets.
We continue to innovate with this class name Ocean Fifty, with a new logo and a new visual identity. Ocean for the sea and Fifty for the 50-foot size. Thanks to Upswing Prod, our new organizer, we will have new audiovisual production resources that will transport us into the collective imagination, while showing the spectacular side of these boats. We have media ambitions but also common values that we share with UpSwing Prod, especially on the vision of what an ocean racing event is today" says Erwan Le Roux, president of the class.
A 5-episode tour of the Atlantic and Mediterranean
The Pro Sailing Tour This event, registered in the FFVoile's official calendar, will take place from May to August 2021 in France and Spain with a mix of events: offshore racing, 24-hour challenge, coastal courses..
- 1 er episode: Brest (5 - 9 May 2021)
- 2 e episode: La Rochelle (26 - 30 May)
- 3 e episode: La Palmas de Gran Canaria (30 June - 4 July)
- 4 e episode: Marseille (July 21 - 25)
- 5 e Episode: Offshore race lasting about 7 days from a Mediterranean town (to be defined) to Brest (August 1 - 7).
The races will take place with a crew (30 skippers) aboard 6 boats - and potentially 7 as the former Leyton is currently for rent or sale by Lalou Roucayrol's team for a budget of around 850,000 euros. On board, the crews will be between 3 and 5 and all of them will be accompanied by a mediaman - employed by the production company and unable to take part in the manoeuvres - who will produce immersive images.
"We wanted to create an international circuit with events in France and Spain organised over the next 4 years. This concept is both compact and easy to understand and will take place over 4 months with one major objective, to meet the public, encourage exchanges and race in the heart of iconic Atlantic and Mediterranean cities. We want to humanize competitive sailing with a mix of coastal and offshore racing and present our class to the general public. We will also highlight the strong values of the class: social integration, inclusion, environmental issues and sustainable development explains Julien Mauriat, associate director of Upswingprod.
While today the Ocean Fifty class has 6 boats, it is aiming to grow and would like to have up to 12 boats by 2022. A reasonable number, which would allow us to avoid being blocked for places in the stage cities, but above all to be able to continue telling life stories for each of the crews.
Similar tests for each stage
At each stopover, the crews will take part in the same tests. It all starts with a 24-hour challenge that will take the boats offshore for a course of about 400 nautical miles. The crews will leave on Thursday mid-day and return on Friday mid-day.
"They will pass iconic marks for each of the host cities, such as the Iroise Sea for Brittany, the Pertuis for La Rochelle etc... Only the fifth episode which will serve as the open sea final will not have course marks." explains Gilles Chiorri, race director.
Saturday and Sunday will be devoted to inshore races - 8 coastal courses and constructed courses - to bring the boats as close as possible to the coast and the public.
"They are fabulous boats but without a real circuit, we were a bit bored. We needed a real circuit. Some of them still have speed records to break. We're really excited. We really want to meet in Brest at the beginning of May. Some of us are already starting to train together. We will be able to promote this class which is evolving year after year. Today, there are 6 boats, potentially 7, which can all win. It's a very homogenous class. The boats launched in 2009 are as fast as the boats launched last year. Everything will also depend on the weather and the crews. It's a great suspense" explains Quentin Vlamynck, the youngest in the class and skipper of the Multi50 Arkema4.
A documentary series about Ocean Fifty
To highlight the Ocean Fifty class, producer Edouard Mauriat, associate director of UpswingProd, will produce a series of 5 episodes to bring the race to life behind the scenes. Mediamans will be on board each boat to relay what the sailors experience during the race. The aim is to satisfy both enthusiasts and novices by introducing them to sportsmen and women who are also involved in important causes.
These episodes will air between December 2021 and January 2022 once the race is completed.
"It's exciting! What sailor wouldn't love to be on this circuit, sailing these boats. With Ocean Fifty, we keep the DNA of the class. We're going to be sailing in very diverse territories. We'll be sailing in a maritime way in the Iroise Sea in Brest, then in La Rochelle. Las Palmas will be something else. And finally the Mediterranean. We've been wanting to sail the Mediterranean for years. This circuit will allow us to do so. We continue to show the strengths of our class. They are fantastic boats, very spectacular. We'll be able to sail inshore in front of the cities. We will also show that these are offshore boats. Thanks to this documentary series, we will be able to show what offshore sailing with a crew is all about. It's a great asset. We will also visit cities with an exceptional maritime heritage. These cities have engraved the maritime history of our world and remain in the modern world. And our boats are high-tech and very modern explains Gilles Lamiré, skipper of Groupe GCA and Mille et un Sourires.
