2015 Normandy Channel Race kicks off in Caen

by Kate Jennings on 23 May 2015 The press conference to launch the Normandy 2015 Channel Race took place in Caen today as its race village opened its doors to local visitors in the Bassin St Pierre in the town centre.

Some 18 CLASS40s and hence 36 skippers are set to take this Sunday’s start at 16:00pm local time in the harbour of Caen / Ouistreham for what will be the sixth edition of the event. (Norman sailor Marc Lepesqueux is still suffering from keel issues and, like Team Kogane, won’t be able to take the start).

Subject to the usual caution, the weather in Lower Normandy, northern France, ought to enable a start in manageable conditions as the fleet make towards the Saint Marcouf Islands, prior to a nocturnal crossing of the English Channel for an arrival in the British Solent in the early hours of the following morning.

Here are a few numbers to kick off this new edition: since 2010 some 196 skippers have taken the start of the event (121 different sailors over the various editions), representing 14 nationalities and three continents; 22 skippers have participated in the event at least three times, eight of them at least four times.


Meantime, the Anglo-Norman team made up of Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron, South African skipper Philippa Hutton-Squire and French sailor Jean Galfione have competed in the event no fewer than five times. Clearly the Normandy Channel Race has great appeal amongst previous competitors and it’s also drawing in fresh talent this year with some 16 of the 36 sailors participating for the first time.

This year also sees the launch of the event’s business club set up by the DB COM agency, which has already persuaded 20 of the region’s companies to join their ranks. The entertainment in the race village managed by our partner PC organisation has also been revamped, particularly during the second weekend, with the arrival of a games area with boardsports, trampolines and zip-lines.

All the skippers will be presented to the Caen public on Saturday 23 May at 15:00pm on the race village podium. From 11:30am on Sunday 24 May, the first Class40s will leave Bassin St Pierre before parading down the canal to Ouistreham, where the official start will take place at 16:00pm.

Relive the Normandy Channel Race 2014 on FaceBook Normandy Channel Race and website.