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Drheam Cup, the first winners have arrived
The Drheam-Trophy, prologue to the Drheam Cup / Grand Prix de France de course au large, took place on Saturday, July 13, 2024 in a very unusual way. In the absence of wind, the prologue turned into a parade, generating no rankings. The following day, the skippers took part in the race briefing, discovering the two courses, which had been reduced due to weather conditions. The Class40s and the Akela Open Grand Monohull had 630 miles to cover, while the Multi 2000s, IRC crewed and double-handed, Sun Fast 30 One Design and the classic yacht (Merry Dancer) had 490 miles to cover.
After 2 and a half days of racing, the MOD70 Drekan Energy, skippered by Eric Defert, crossed the finish line first on Thursday, July 18 at 3:48'26, the real time winner in the Multi 2000 category. Eric de Turckheim's Teasing Machine finished first monohull on Thursday at 16h44'18. The bulk of the fleet continues to battle it out in light airs, and is expected in Quiberon Bay between Friday and Saturday.
The Ocean Race Atlantic 2026, a new ocean race
The Ocean Race announces a new fully-crewed transatlantic race for the Imoca class for summer 2026. It will link the American metropolis of New York to the European capital of Barcelona. It will be the first point-to-point race in The Ocean Race's 50-year history. This new event in 2026 will follow The Ocean Race Europe, which will start from Kiel, Germany, in 2025, and precede the next edition of the round-the-world race, which will start from Alicante, Spain, in 2027. This race will be run by a crew of four sailors, two men and two women. The race route includes a 3,200-nautical-mile transatlantic run from New York to the Strait of Gibraltar, a difficult transition to the Mediterranean Sea, followed by a 500-nautical-mile sprint to Barcelona.
Transquadra Madeira Martinique, first leg completed
The first competitors in the Transquadra Madeira Martinique arrived in Funchal on the night of July 15, after an epic leg for both the Mediterranean and Atlantic fleets. Mistral winds and violent currents for the southerners, an autumnal depression and a poorly placed ridge of high pressure for the competitors who set off from La Turballe: the weather gave these non-professional skippers over 40 a real challenge. For the Atlantic fleet, in the single-handed Performance class, Philippe Benaben on the Sun Fast 3200 Platypus won on corrected time. He beat Alexandre Ozon on Bepox 990 - Team 2 Choc by 58 min and 30 seconds. The podium was completed by Henri Laurent on Sailgrib, 37 minutes behind the runner-up. In the double-handed event, the duo Eric Guigné / Tangi Caron on JPK 10.30 - OSE won both in real and compensated terms, with a handsome margin of 2h21 over Pierre-Yves Fouché and Luc de Camas on Moïse. The Pascal Bernebe /Eric Chalaux duo (Pour Aster Bretagne) rounded off the podium, 16 minutes behind 2nd place. In the Mediterranean fleet, the experienced Frédéric Ponsenard in duo with Paolo Manganelli won in real and compensated terms.
On the cruiser front, Emmanuel Ungaran and Nicolas Peyron on the RM 1070 Chaac, are the 1st Mediterranean cruiser to arrive 10 hours after the first Performance duo (Coco) after 12 days of racing. On the Atlantic side, the first double Atlantic cruiser Azora, led by the British Stephen Thomas and Chris Morton battled throughout the leg in the top 5 of the Performance doubles. Their compensated time is the same as that of the 4 e double Performance. Solo cruiser, Alexandre Lajeunesse (International Cohesion) made a superb start to the race, battling it out with the top 10 in the Performance class, but eventually relinquished first place to Jean Yves Bonsergent on Obane.
Skipper Macif, the selection is open
The Skipper Macif network, which has been present on the Figaro Bénéteau circuit since 2008, is looking for its new skipper, the successor to Loïs Berrehar, to sail alongside Charlotte Yven, Skipper Macif 2023. Applications can be submitted until midnight 09/30, and the 4 finalists will be selected between October 7 and 10. The final selection round between the 4 finalists at the Finistère Course au Large center will take place from October 27 to 31.
Transat Quebec Saint-Malo, discover the winners
Gilles Barbot's Atlas Ocean Racing VOR 70 crossed the finish line of the Transat Québec Saint- Malo on Monday July 15 at 14 h 43 min and 50 s. He won the race in the Gerry Roufs class after sailing for 14 days, 18 hours, 13 minutes and 50 seconds, at an average speed of 8.03 knots. In the Class40 class, Achille Nebout, Gildas Mahé and Alan Roberts won on Amarris, crossing the finish line at 15h, 21 min and 59 seconds on the same day. He completed his transatlantic crossing in 14d, 9h, 6 min and 59 seconds at an average speed of 9.84 knots.
Sail GP, victory for the Spaniards
July 14 saw the San Francisco Grand Prix, the grand finale of Sail GP season 4. In the end, it was the Spanish crew, led by Diego Botín, who regained 3rd place in the Grand Final after a mistake by the French. Deprived of their starboard rudder after colliding violently with the Danish boat and thus incurring heavy penalties, the French saw all hope of qualifying disappear after a perfect day the day before. The Spaniards were the day's double winners. In addition to advancing to the Grand Final, they won this final $2 million race over three-time defending champions Australia, in second place, and New Zealand, in third. France finished in seventh place. The championship resumes on November 23 and 24 with the launch of SailGP Season 5.
Dunkerque Voile wins Tour Voile 2024
The Tour Voile 2024 came to a close on July 14, 2024 in Saint-Cast-le-Guildo with the 21st race on a 9-mile constructed course. Although the wind was in a capricious mood, and despite 2 recalls, the 14 crews were finally able to take the start of the Grand Prix de la Région Bretagne. Dunkerque Voile, skippered by Arthur Meurisse, came out on top at the end of a journey that began in Dunkerque on June 28. Auray Quiberon by Orlabay and Projet de l'Arche in Le Havre completed the final podium of this 45th edition.
The story of Alberto Riva's Class40 Acrobatica sinking
On July 9, 2024, Alberto Riva's Class40 Acrobatica was wrecked, while the crew of the Italian sailor and Jean Marre and Tommaso Stella were racing in the Transat Québec Saint-Malo. The crew was picked up by the Liberian tanker "Silver Ray" and the boat sank. Today, we know a little more about the circumstances of the accident. The Class40 collided with the boat that picked them up... Weather conditions were very rough, gusting to 35 knots, with high waves and breakers sweeping across the deck at the time of the accident.
