What's new at Spi Ouest France
The 46th Spi Ouest France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest will be held from March 28 to April 1 in La Trinité-sur-Mer. For the first time, the race will feature a race course dedicated to disabled sailing. Open to MiniJIs, Hansas and Neo 495s, this round robin will welcome both disabled and able-bodied sailors. To date, 213 crews have already registered.
36 competitors at the start of the Solo Guy Cotten
36 Figaro Bénéteau sailors will start the 48th edition of the Solo Guy Cotten at the foot of the walled town of Concarneau. Held from March 9 to 16, the race will welcome seasoned sailors such as Alexis Loison, who will be taking part for the 14th time, and Basile Bourgnon and Loïs Berrehar, respectively 2 e and 3 e of the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec 2023.
Loïs Berrehar patron of the 36th Eurocat
The 36th edition of the Eurocat will take place from April 26 to 28 in Quiberon Bay, with over 100 crews expected. Organized by the Yacht Club de Carnac (YCC), this regatta marks the start of the season for all catamaran enthusiasts, amateur and professional alike. This year's sponsor is Loïs Berrehar, winner of the double-handed Transat Paprec with Charlotte Yven, and 3rd in the Solitaire du Figaro in 2023.
Time for the women's and men's double-handed dinghy world championships (49er and 49er FX)
The women's and men's double-handed dinghy world championships (49er and 49er FX) will run from Tuesday March 5 to Sunday March 10 on the Canary island of Lanzarote. 128 crews from 36 countries will compete in this major event of the Olympiad. 4 women's duos (49er FX) and 6 men's crews (49er) from France have been preparing for the event for several months! In the women's 49er FX class, Rochelais Charline Picon, double Olympic medallist in windsurfing with Sarah Steyaert, will be joined by Marseilles' Lara Granier and Amélie Riou, who represented France at last summer's Test Event. In the men's 49er class, the competition is no less stiff, with recent European champions Lucas Rual and Emile Amoros up against Test Event silver medallists Clément Pequin and Erwan Fischer.
Start of the 4th leg of the Ocean Globe Race
On March 5, 2024, the 13 Ocean Globe Race crews left Punta Del Este, Uruguay for the 4th and final leg of the race, which will take them over 6,550 miles to Cowes, UK. Spirit of Helsinki FI (71) was the first to cross the start line, with a southwesterly wind blowing at 15 knots and 3-meter seas. Outlaw AU (08) came second, followed by Pen Duick VI FR (14) in third. The French crew saw one of their crew fall overboard, but quickly climbed back aboard.
Clarisse Crémer cleared of cheating in the 2020 Vendée Globe
An international jury has met to rule on suspicions of cheating by Clarisse Crémer and her husband Tanguy Le Turquais during the 2020 Vendée Globe. The young woman allegedly benefited from routing information, revealed in an anonymous email received by the FFVoile president. In the end, the Vendée Globe management "that there has been no wrongdoing on the part of Clarisse Crémer or Tanguy Le Turquais, and you will understand that it is in no way my place to comment on a decision taken by the federal sporting authority."
Armel le Cléac'h on the podium of the Arkea Ultim Challenge
Armel le Cléac'h on the Maxi Banque Populaire XI reached Brest on Sunday March 3 at 21:31, after a solo circumnavigation of the globe lasting 56 days, 8 hours, 1 minute and 31 seconds. Forced to stop twice for technical stopovers and victim of a leak in the final days of the race, he completes the podium of the Arkea Ultim Challenge after Charles Caudrelier and Thomas Coville.
A 6th place for the French at the 470 Championships
French 470 duo Camille Lecointre and Jérémie Mion completed the first event of the season in Palma, finishing in 6th place. The Spanish duo won the event, followed by the Japanese duo, 2023 World Champions, and the British duo, who were not expected to reach this level. The Tricolores now move on to a month's training in Marseille.
Cole Brauer, 2nd in the Global Solo Challenge
Skipper Cole Brauer arrived in La Coruña on March 7, 2024, taking 2nd place in the Global Solo Challenge, a non-stop single-handed round-the-world race with an original format, with a staggered start depending on their rating. In 130 days on her Class40 First Light, the 29-year-old is the first American woman to achieve such a feat.
