The 46th edition of the Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest will be held from March 28 to April 1 in La Trinité-sur-Mer. For the 2024 edition, we can expect a novelty with the addition of a round specially dedicated to disabled sailing. Hervé Tourneux, a leading figure in disabled sailing, shares his impressions and preparations for the event.
A diversity of competitors expected
More than 400 boats will take part in the 5 rounds scheduled for this 46th edition of the Spi-Ouest, including a major new feature: the integration of a race zone dedicated to disabled sailing. The result of work on inclusion carried out by the SNT (Société Nautique de la Trinité-sur-Mer) and the Fédération Française de Voile, this event promises to bring together a diversity of competitors on a variety of boats: in addition to the one-designs, sportboats, Mini 6.50s, multihulls, IRC cruisers and Osiris that traditionally take part, the idea of "handicapped sailing" has been added to enable the 3 handivalide supports - the Neo 495, the Hansa and the Mini JI - to be fully integrated", explains Hervé Tourveux, disabled sailing champion and multiple medal winner, who will be taking part in the Spi Ouest in the Mini JI series, a replica of the famous America's Cup J Class.
Handicapped-accessible supports
At the age of 62, Hervé Tourneux is a young retiree from Brittany with a passion for sailing. His career as a disabled skipper is an example of determination in the world of sailing. After losing his left arm in a motorcycle accident in 1988, he discovered sailing and began competing in the 2000s. He points out: '' I quickly turned to this sport keelboat, the Mini Ji, unsinkable and unchavable, for its particularly inclusive concept of a practice miexte between able-bodied and disabled people. For me, the Mini Ji is ideal: unlike other boats, it's perfectly suited to sailing with one arm and without moving. I've fitted out my boat ergonomically so that I can manage all the adjustments with just one hand, while keeping my chest straight and aligned. For the rest, I steer with my feet using a rudder bar." That's how he won his first French handivoile championship in 2003, before joining the Pôle France at the national sailing school in St Pierre Quiberon from 2006 to 2010. Since then, he has won 17 French Paravoile championships and 2 French Handivalide championships, so taking part in a mixed event is nothing new for this enthusiast of nautical challenges.
In 2004, Hervé Tourneux turned his attention to the 2.4, an emblematic support for Paralympic sailing in France, propelled by Damien Seguin's victory at the Athens Games in 2004. Reputed to be one of the most technical of all handicapped supports, it offers stimulating and demanding challenges to competitors in this field. So it's no coincidence that Damien Séguin, double Paralympic champion and Imoca skipper, will be sponsoring this handivalide round of the Spi Ouest 2024, highlighting the regatta's commitment to accessible sailing.
The Neo 495, a double-handed sports keelboat, will also take part in this new round. Tested in 2023 by Hervé Tourneux during the Nations Cup in La Ciotat, the boat has been of great interest to him ever since, notably for its double-handed sailing capabilities, its highly successful handivalide sailing concept and its excellent seaworthiness. For him, it's '' the openness to other communication possibilities that comes into play ''.
Clear objectives and methodical preparation
''Sailing in the inter-series is a great motivation for me," says Hervé Tourneux, "it's an opportunity to progress and measure myself against other competitors. What's more, this regatta is an excellent way of preparing for the French handivalide solo and para-sailing championship, scheduled for May 8 to 11, 2024 during the Grand Prix de l'Ecole Navale de Brest." With 23 years' experience in sailing, Hervé Tourneux has learned to structure his training sessions. He sails regularly from Arradon in the Gulf of Morbihan with his friends Hervé Gautier, Patrick Dubs and Fabrice Idier, all members of the Société des Régates de Vannes.
Together, they will take part in the Spi-Ouest and, in 2015, they created the Défi Partagé HandiValides association, where each one contributes his or her skills: '' Fabrice as master sailmaker and undisputed leader of the series, Hervé as renowned tactician and préparateur, and Patrick as experienced crew preparateur' '. This allows them to work methodically to progress, focusing in particular on equipment optimization, ergonomics, sail design, and other technical aspects of racing.
Inclusion at the heart of the event
The Spi Ouest-France is also a real popular festival ashore, with concerts, bars, food-trucks and stalls for retailers and partners. The aim is clear: to offer an event open to all over the course of these few days. A highlight not to be missed: the grand parade, which departs from the port on March 30 at 9.15 am. Leading the parade will be l'Hydroptère.ch, the 41-foot hydrofoil catamaran prototype launched in 2010 on the shores of Lake Geneva, which once set all speed records on Swiss lakes!
By simultaneously integrating able-bodied and disabled competitors, the Spi Ouest-France is part of a resolutely inclusive approach, opening up new prospects for the future of the sport. " It's a very good thing concludes Hervé Tourneux, "c t just goes to show how open-minded these popular events are. We're no longer talking about handicapped or able-bodied helmsmen, but about sailors eager to do battle on inland waters as well as at sea.
