2015 Martinique Sailing Days presented at Paris Boat Show

by Sailing Martinique Days on 9 Dec 2014 The Region of Martinique, the Martinique Tourism Board and Ligue de la Voile, the sailing organisation introduced 'Martinique Sailing Days' at the Paris Boat Show on Monday. 'Martinique Sailing Days' is an original initiative that serves to highlight the rich and dynamic boating activities Martinique has to offer and includes three key events in 2015:

- Martinique Cata Raid
- The Round Martinique Regatta
- The International Schœlcher Sailing Week

The Martinique Cata Raid is a sailing competition, a race round the island on racing catamarans, one that is federated by the Ligue de la Voile and registered in the French Sailing federation (FFV) events calendar.

Organised by the W.I.N.D. Yacht Club in Robert, the second edition of this spectacular competitor is expected to attract even more exceptional entries.

Over 45 boats, including F18 and F16s are expected between the 26th and 31st of January 2015. The 350-kilometre long race takes place in five stages and will once again allow for the opportunity of organising festivities on shore.

The Round Martinique Regatta will gather two events in one from 2015: the Carnival Regatta and the Tour de Martinique. This event, which has been running since the 60s, is the result of a jointly organised venture between the Club Nautique Neptune du Lamentin and the Ven Dan Vwèl 972 Association whose main objective is to raise the profile of day boat racing on the Caribbean circuit. The race, made up of three stages, features on the Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) 2015-2016 and French Sailing Federation (FFV) calendar of events and is above all fun but tough and gathers yearly some 30 boat entries of 24 feet and above across 5 classes: Racing Cruising, Cruising Osiris handicap, spinnakers CSA handicap, (Racing, Melges, Class 40 and Figaro II), cruising multihulls, surprises - Class 8 and Tempest.

The 2015 edition of the Round Martinique Regatta will take place between the 13th and 15th of February and expects to gather 40 entries.

The Semaine Nautique internationale de Schoelcher is a high level day boat racing in the Caribbean. The event is organised by the Cercle Nautique de Schœlcher and is registered in the French sailing federation (FFV) calendar of events.

The event has international recognition with over 100 foreign competitors yearly. Each year the event gathers Caribbean day boat racers to test their skills and measure up against those coming from round the world across all the disciplines, multihulls, dinghy’s, racing catamarans, Tempest and windsurfing.

The 25th edition will be held between the 13th and 17th of February 2015 during the carnival holidays.

A diverse and enterprising professional sailing network
Developing the marine industry is at the heart of the Conseil Regional’s strategy for Martinique. The boating industry is seeing a true growth as a result.

Today it represents the following:
• 1,610 mooring places
• 130 companies and 21 boat charter agencies
• 1,200 jobs
• 12,500 boats registered with some 300 new ones each year
• 200 sailing boats and 95 boats available for charter
• 1,000 boat permits issued each year
• 3 yacht harbours (Fort-de-France, Schœlcher and Marin)
• 15 kayak sailing clubs
• 18 water ski clubs, jetski, kitesurf, pedalos, sunfish, windsurf
• 34 diving clubs
• 16 sea excursion companies
• 7 big game fishing companies
• 7 Yacht Clubs

The Martinique Region also provides top-level training for the sector in specialised higher education courses across the island.

Efficient infrastructures
Martinique is become a well known destination for boaters, in particular due to the berthing potential and also to wide variety of services available to cruisers. The Marin marina, the most in potant in the southern Caribbean has been awarded special recognition on numerous occasions (Trophée de l'Escale in 2012, Blue Flag since 2006 and Odyssea Excellence destination port in 2013).

New for 2015 is the new 340-berth marina Etang Zabrico at Fort-de-France for which construction was approved in November.

A full calendar of sailing events
The boating industry in Martinique is recognisable for both hosting and organising major events. Three important competitions will take place in 2015 under the umbrella name of Martinique Sailing Days. Further events are also to be hosted including the Atlantic Oddysey, the Panerai Classic Transat, the Transquadra, The Martinique Surf Pro, the Tour de Martinique Yoles Rondes ...

The Region Martinique is present each time alongside private or collective initiatives to raise awareness of the varied and beautiful offer the region boasts. The region therefore finds a natural association with Martinique’s sailing entities, the Ligue de la Voile de Martinique, the Cercle Nautique de Schœlcher, the Club Nautique Wind Force in Robert, the Club Neptune in Lamentin and the association Van Dan Vwèl 972. All under the auspices of Martinique Sailing Days will help to promote the calendar of key sailing events at the beginning of each year.