Youth&Women America's Cup, the 13 candidates revealed
The committee of experts in charge of identifying and selecting the 13 French sailors who will represent France in the Youth and Women's America's Cup has unveiled the names of the 6 young people and 7 women selected to sail aboard the AC40s in Barcelona in September and October 2024. There were 39 shortlisted.
The seven women selected are :
- Skipper : Manon AUDINE T -1st Spain Sail Grand Prix I Cadiz, 8th Olympics Tokyo Nacra 17 âeuros St Georges Voile
- Pauline COURTOIS Â - Double Match Race World Champion âeuros CV St aubin Elbeuf
- Lara GRANIER Â - 6th French Olympic Week 49er FX, 2nd Youth Worlds 470 âeuros SR Antibes
- Jessie KAMPMAN - 2nd French Olympic Kitefoil Week, Double European Champion in 420 âeuros SR Antibes
- Audrey OGEREAU Â - Vice World Champion Nacra 15 âeuros YC Monaco
- Aloïse RETORNAZ Â - Bronze medal in 470 at Tokyo Olympics âeuros SN Sablais
- Amélie RIOU Â - 1st France Sail Grand Prix I Saint-Tropez, 1st Australia Sail Grand Prix I Sydney âeuros La Pelle Marseille
The six young people, 1 woman and 5 men between the ages of 18 and 25, are :
- Skipper: Enzo BALANGER - 9th World Senior Moth, 3rd World 420, European Optimist Champion - La Pelle Marseille
- Ange DELERCE Â - Open World Vice-Champion in 420, European Champion in 420 âeuros SR Antibes
- Lou MOURNIAC Â - World Champion and European Vice-Champion Nacra 15 âeuros ASN Quiberon
- Matisse PACAUD Â - 4th in the Senior 470 World Championship, European Champion and Youth 470 World Champion, best hope of 2022 in France âeuros YC Cannes
- Théo REVIL Â - ISAF 29er World Champion, 4th young 49er world champion âeuros CNBPP
- Gaultier TALLIEU Â - European Match Racing Champion âeuros BN La Palmyre
- Alexandre KOWALSKI will be ashore as data analyst for both teams.
Louise Acker, new Challenge Océane skipper
At the end of nine races, and after three days of sailing cancelled due to poor weather conditions, we finally know the new Océane skipper. Winner of 5 out of 9 races, Louise Acker wins the Océane challenge and joins the Filière d'excellence de course au large alongside Gaston Morvan (Performance) and Victor Le Pape (Espoir).
Dunkirk, starting town for the 45th Tour Voile
Having been the starting town for the Tour Voile 34 times since 1978, the year the event was created, Dunkirk is back as host town for the 35th anniversary of the Tour Voile. Crews are expected in Dunkirk from June 26, where they will stay for regattas in the bay and along the coast until Sunday, June 30, 2024.
The Assises Environnementales de la Course au Large to reflect on the environmental transition
Organized on Friday December 8, 2023, the "Assises Environnementales de la Course au Large" (Environmental Conference on Ocean Racing) brought together, on the initiative of the Fédération Française de Voile (French Sailing Federation), around a hundred professionals from the sector (skippers, race organizers, class representatives, sponsors, shipyards, architects or equipment manufacturers...) who came to reflect on the environmental transition of the discipline. During this session, the levers of environmental transition and the obstacles within ocean racing were identified. Also discussed was the trajectory that the ocean racing sector will have to follow if it wishes to align itself with the Paris Agreement, which calls for each player to reduce emissions by 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050.
Christophe Pratt at the start of the Route du Rhum 2026 in an Ocean Fifty
Christopher Pratt, long-time co-skipper of Jeremie Beyou, is embarking on an Ocean Fifty project on Wind of Trust. He is accompanied by Marsail, a company that has specialized in executive support for 15 years. The sailor will take part in the Pro Sailing Tour, Transat des Terres-Neuvas, Transat Jacques Vabre... starting in 2024.
Victory for the Italians on Leg 2 of the Ocean Globe Race
After 36 days and 7,500 miles of racing from Cape Town, the Italian crew of Translated 9 won the second leg of the Ocean Globe Race, crossing the finish line in Auckland on December 12. The duel with Pen Duick VI continued right up until the last moment, with Marie Tabarly's crew taking second place.
La Tansquadra sets course for La Turballe
The fleet of the Transquadra Madère Martinique 2024 will set sail from La Turballe in Loire-Atlantique. After a recent interlude in Morbihan, and in the absence of a commitment from Lorient for 2024, the Transquadra has been looking for a new host port. It's finally back in Loire-Atlantique, after departures from Nantes-Pornichet, Pornic and Saint-Nazaire.
Sail GP, victory for New Zealanders in Dubai
Tied on points with the Canadians at the end of the 5th and final fleet race of the Dubai Sail Grand Prix, France's Quentin Delapierre and his crew narrowly missed out on a place in the final race. For this Grand Prix, where crews were allowed to choose the wing they would race with - a novelty - the New Zealanders won by a narrow margin ahead of the Australians and Canadians.
Yoann Richomme wins the Retour à la Base on Paprec Arkéa
Yoann Richomme crossed the finish line of the Retour à La Base in first place on Saturday, December 9, at 17:03. The Paprec Arkéa skipper completed the 3,500-mile theoretical course in 9 days 0 hours 03 minutes 48 seconds, at an average speed of 16.19 knots. This was the sailor's first solo IMOCA race. Jeremie Beyou on Charal and Sam Goodchild on For The Planet completed the podium. Tanguy Le Turquais also put in an incredible performance, setting sail from Martinique just 10 hours after crossing the line in the Transat Jacques Vabre. He finished in 20th place on Lazare. Jean Le Cam, the last competitor still at sea, is expected between December 18 and 19.
Lauriane Nolot, sailor of the year 2023
Lauriane Nolot was voted "Sailor of the Year 2023" on December 8, 2023, for her exceptional year in which she was crowned World Kiteboarding Champion after her victory in the Test Event in Marseille. She also won the Kitefoil World Cup. Lysa Caval in wingfoil won the trophy for best female hopeful, while Basile Bourgnon in Figaro Bénéteau won the trophy for best male hopeful. Finally, Philippe Boudgourd won the Best Coach Trophy for his role in the 470 Jeunes.
