Launch of IMOCA Macif Santé Prévoyance on June 24
After twelve months of construction, Charlie Dalin's IMOCA Macif Santé Prévoyance will be unveiled on June 24 at the MerConcept yard in Concarneau.
Second edition of the E-skipper Academy
Sodebo and Virtual Regatta are once again building a bridge between virtual and real sailing with season 2 of the E-Skipper Academy. Two skippers will have the opportunity to wear Team Sodeboâ??s colors in the Transat Jacques Vabre âeuros Normandie Le Havre. Each will race on his own boat in the Ultim category:
- An "Elite" player, Julien Taillefer, E-Skipper 2022 of Sodebo Ultim 3 ;
- A "Espoir" player, who will be selected during the qualifying race in June.
As in the first season, the selection process will take place in two stages. The first will begin on June 20 with a virtual race, on the course of the North Atlantic record set in 2017 by Thomas Coville in solo sailing in 4 days, 11 hours, 10 minutes and 24 seconds, and which he has held ever since. To pass this first selection phase, you'll need to rank among the top 100 competitors. After selection by a panel of experts, the winner will be announced at the end of July. He or she will be offered the chance to line up at the start of the virtual version of the Transat Jacques Vabre at the helm of Sodebo Ultim 3, on the same course as Thomas Coville and Thomas Rouxel, and to compete against the best E-Skippers.
The 6th leg of The Ocean Race gets underway
On June 8, 10 boats left Aarhus in Denmark for the 6th leg of The Ocean Race. The 5 VO65s joined the 5 IMOCA boats competing in the second leg of the VO65 Sprint after a three-month break. With two legs remaining, the VO65 rankings are wide open, and the leg to The Hague is an important opportunity to score points. The finish is scheduled for Sunday, June 11. The IMOCA fleet heads for the Fly-By in Kiel before heading for the finish of the sixth leg, in The Hague, Netherlands. 11th Hour Racing Team is currently in first place, just one point ahead of Team Holcim-PRB.
Kevin Escoffier withdraws from The Ocean Race
The skipper of Team PRB-Holcim has decided to withdraw from The Ocean Race, the 6th leg of which began on June 8. He has been replaced by Benjamin Schwartz, who has been accused of inappropriate behavior towards a member of his team during the stopover in Newport.
America's Cup 2024 is looking for volunteers
The America's Cup organization is looking for 2,300 volunteers for Barcelona. Many positions will be offered, such as travel support, VIP support, America's Cup village... Registration is now open and will run until November 2023. A review process will then take place between December 2023 and February 2024.
Handivoile and Handivalide Week from June 10 to 18
Handivoile and Handivalide Week aims to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities by offering free handivoile and handivalide activities all over France. Created in 2018 by the FFVoile, this event will bring together around fifty clubs throughout France.
Actual qualifies for the Arkea Ultim Challenge
Anthony Marchand, new skipper of the Ultime Actual 3 has qualified for the start of the giant trimaran solo round-the-world race on January 7, 2024. He has completed the demanding 2,500-mile qualifying course - 2,702 in total - between Trinité sur mer and the Azores and back.
France's first Dragon Boat Festival
The Association Interculturelle Franco-Chinoise (AFC) is organizing France's first Dragon Boat event on the Ile des Loisirs Boucle de Seine on June 25. Dragon Boat is a thrilling team sport with its roots in Chinese culture. In addition to the Dragon Boat competitions, the event will also feature a variety of activities for participants and spectators. There will be authentic Chinese food stalls, handicrafts and cultural exhibitions, offering a total immersion in Chinese culture.
Porquerolle's Classic celebrates its 20th anniversary
The 20th edition of Porquerolle's Classic takes place from June 8 to 11. For this anniversary, 51 classic yachts and 12m JI are expected in Hyères harbor. For 3 days, the finest classic yachts will be putting on a show. For the first time, five 12m JI monohulls, emblematic of the America's Cup, will also be taking part.
CIC Normandy uncertain right to the end
The CIC Normandy Channel Race got underway on Sunday June 4. On the program was a course of around 1,000 miles in the English Channel and Celtic Sea, starting and finishing in Caen. The 60 sailors set off in a brisk 25-knot northerly/northeasterly air flow, with gusts approaching 30 knots. The Class40 Crédit Mutuel sailed by Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier led from the start. On June 6, the strong winds forecast for the Raz Blanchard, with its spring-tide coefficient and the usual currents, led the race directors to remove the Guernsey course marker, leaving the skippers free to choose how to reach the finish line. After a final night of intense fighting at the Raz Blanchard and a final sprint in the Bay of Seine, it was finally the Class40 Alla Grande Pirelli (181) that won the 14th edition of the CIC Normandy Channel Race. Ambrogio Beccaria and Kevin Bloch crossed the finish line in the lead at 6 hours 18 minutes and 01 seconds. They beat Crédit Mutuel (158) by 33 minutes and 50 seconds. Ian Lipinski and Antoine Carpentier take the silver medal in a race that was indecisive from start to finish.
