Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan on the horizon

by WIM Series on 18 Jul 2014 The Women’s International Match Racing Series (WIM Series) welcomes Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan in Vannes to the 2014 schedule.

The event was initiated and is organized by double World Champion and multiple world ranking #1, Claire Leroy: 'A handful of Brittany Yacht Clubs have joined forces with the Société des Régates de Vannes for this event, and we’re very proud to be able to welcome some of the best female match racing crews of the world,' says Event Organizer Claire Leroy.

'France, with their strong match racing history and vibrant women’s match racing community, makes a stop in the WIM Series imperative' says WIM Series Manager Liz Baylis.

The 2014 season of the WIM Series kicked off in the beginning of June in Cork, Ireland, with the ISAF Women’s Match Racing World Championship. The Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan in Vannes, France, will next week follow as the second event of this year’s series, comprised by five events in Ireland, France, Sweden, USA and Korea. A dozen of the world’s best match racing crews will come to Vannes July 24 – 27, to race each other in Beneteau 7.5:s with asymmetrical spinnakers: 'These French boats have never before been used on the WIM Series, and I’m certain the sailors will find them very exciting,' Claire Leroy comments.

'One of the challenges of match racing is the ability of the teams to adapt to different boats, and these boats will definitely challenge the sailors' Liz Baylis adds.

Vannes is a rather small town of 55 000 people in French Brittany, a nice and quiet place where it’s good to live. The legend tells that there are 365 islands, one for each day of the year, in the Golfe du Morbihan. In winter the waters provide heavy storms of 60 to 70 knots, but in summer the thermic winds are warmer and gentler, yet challenging enough. The strong tidal currents of up to nine knots will also put the sailors to test.

The 'Société des Régates de Vannes' is one of the oldest yacht clubs in France, founded in 1848. The first regatta was run in fishing boats, but nowadays the SRV organizes in the first week of October 'The Catagolfe' with 200 sports catamarans, and in June 'le Tour Autour du Golfe', a large dinghy meeting. And now, of course, a stage of the WIM Series. Famous club members of the SRV are Figaro racer Nicolas Lunven, the 1992 Vendée Globe winner Alain Gautier and Daniel Souben, who is racing on Tour de France à la voile.

'We are very excited to be partnering with the experienced Société des Régates de Vannes for the 2014 Women’s Match Race Golfe du Morbihan. Under the watchful eye of two-time World Champion Claire Leroy, the event in Vannes is sure to be a highlight in the match racing calendar,' Liz Baylis WIM Series website