The Normandy Channel Race – The creation of a new sailing drive

by Kate Jennings - Expression on 4 May 2010

On Monday third of May 2010 a press conference was held in Caen to launch the Normandy Channel Race. All those who attended; racers, journalists, partners and the organisation team, were able to get together for the first time to discover Normandy’s latest drive to encourage sailing in the region.

The Class 40 – A fast-expanding class
Today the Class 40 is fast developing in the domain of international offshore racing and can already boast nearly a hundred craft. Originally created to enable amateur skippers to gain access to ocean racing, it is now attracting an increasing number of professional skippers too.

Positioned midway between the Figaro Beneteau and the 60 footers from the Vendée Globe, the series has gradually built up its race programme and its first dedicated Class 40 transatlantic race; launched in 2009 – the Solidaire du Chocolat – enjoyed great success in terms of the sporting appeal and its media coverage.

These 40 foot monohulls (12.20 m) are able to relish a varied race programme due to their compatibility with both oceanic and coastal courses.

A fully rounded event from 12-23 May 2010
Comprising a very demanding course through some complicated navigation zones, the event will provide the perfect atmosphere for tactical game-playing coloured by what is sure to be a very fast pace.

The course will take the fleet across a fabulous variety of prime watersports areas, with half of the course made up of coastal zones and the other an offshore course across the English Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Irish Sea.

Through its positioning the race is particularly suited to French crews from the Channel and those tempted by the sense of adventure from the Atlantic, as well as crews from Britain, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

Half the entry list comprises international crews, which is a clear indicator that the event’s objective for openness has been a success on its very first edition.

A sizeable programme of entertainment has been arranged with the Class 40s being moored in the Bassin Saint-Pierre in the very heart of the action in the city of Caen.

Alongside them a race village with a whole host of marquees is to be erected on the quay from Wednesday 12th to Sunday 16th May, with a race prologue out at sea on Saturday 15th May, an official soirée the same day, a parade along the channel between Caen and the sea on Sunday 16th May prior to the start, and finally the prize-giving on Sunday 23rd May in Caen.

The website’s satellite tracking of the boats will enable spectators to closely monitor progress, as will the daily radio sessions organised with the skippers.

Finally, a virtual game, ‘Virtual Ocean Races 2’, will provide everyone with a chance to participate in this race from the comfort of their own homes, sheltered from the bad weather.

A high quality International line-up
The dozen double-handed crews present will comprise a number of sailors capable of heading the bill, including Tanguy de Lamotte (Novedia initiatives), 2009 winner of the Solidaire du Chocolat, with Jean Galfione as co-skipper.
Other sailors with victory in their sights include Thomas Ruyant (Destination Dunkerque), winner of the last Mini-Transat with Tanguy Leglatin as co-skipper; Yvan Noblet (Appart City) teaming up with David Tabore, as well as the President of the Class 40, Jacques Fournier (Groupe Picoty), with Denis Van Weynebrgh accompanying this enthusiastic competitor.

Normandy itself is well represented with Marc Lepesqueux, supported by the Caen la Mer agglomeration, partnered by Eric Defert, as well as Christophe Coatnoan (Partouche) with Pierre-Yves Lautrou.

Among the wealth of international crews are some highly experienced sailors like the Dutch crew on Moonpalace, Roeland Franssens and Michel Kleinjans, and three British crews in the form of 40 Degrees, skippered by Peter Harding and renowned Norman Halvard Mabire, Spliff with Andrew Dawson and Jon McColl, as well as Mike West (Key Source) and Joffy Berd.

Finally a South African crew (Phesheya Racing) will add a flavour of the Southern hemisphere to the competition in the form of Nick Legatt and Phillippa Hutton-Squire.

A sizeable media plan
The major leading media in Normandy have teamed up with the project as media partners: Ouest-France will take care of printed press and will be making a special presentation of the event in their 12th May issue, on the day the race village opens in Caen.

Accompanying them in the local radio section will be France Bleu Basse- Normandie, which is particularly well geared up for broadcasting the daily radio sessions. Finally France 3 Basse-Normandie will be actively represented by its antenna in Caen.

These partnerships are to be accompanied by a sizeable poster campaign right across Caen with some large format images visible from 10th to 25th May (70 copies in 320*240 format), and the surrounding areas from 3rd to 17th May via the CBS network in 120*176 format.

A project backed by the surrounding territory
The major institutional protagonists from the surrounding territory have joined forces to support the Normandy Channel Race project and each have something different to offer the event.

As such the city of CAEN is reinforcing its involvement in sailing after having played host to several Solitaire du Figaro starts over recent years. The lower Normandy region will show off the true value of its superb marine territory from Mont St Michel to Honfleur as well as its vast group of marine professionals that come together as one in the F2N association.

Not to be outdone the Calvados region has, for several years, been leading an active policy of support for major marine events such as the Channel Race, and also boasts a sizeable marine industry in the form of Calvados Nautisme.

Finally the Caen la Mer agglomeration is offering the event its support in the form of Marc Lepesqueux’s project and the marine enterprise zone Norlanda.

These four large groups, acting together for the development of this project, will be present in the race village from 12th to 16th May.

Accompanying them in the sporting and maritime aspect of the event will be all the protagonists from the local sailing clubs: the Caen-Ouistreham Société des Régates (SRCO) and the Ligue Basse-Normandie de la FFVoile (French Sailing Federations’ Lower Normandy League), who will be loaning out their teams for the race start.

Further support will come from the Caen Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the port of Caen-Ouistreham, who will provide precious assistance in the installation of the necessary infrastructure and berthing in the Bassin St Pierre, as well as managing the port traffic between Caen and the sea. The Thury Harcourt town hall will also be lending part of its marine equipment with its floating pontoons.

The V1D2 yard, based in Caen and managed by Marc Lefebvre, has established a reputation over recent years in the professional preparation of 40 and 60 foot racing boats and will provide appreciable technical assistance for the crews participating in the race.

This whole team will be joined by a substantial private partner in the form of the Caisse d’Epargne Normandie, with its 230 agencies across Normandy, which will be offering its support of the event as Official Partner.

Finally numerous regional and national enterprises will be accompanying the operation as Official Suppliers, whether they be from the marine industry: All Mer (marine wear), All Purpose (sail loft), Karver (top of the range deck fittings), Snip Yachting (distributors Targa and Bavaria based in Ouistreham), or from other sectors of business: Heineken, Champagne Mumm, Orange, Toshiba and OMB.

List of competitors in Normandy Channel Race


Boat’s race name	Sail No.	Skipper	Co-skipper

SPLIFF	67	Andrew Dawson	Jon McColl
PARTOUCHE	60	Christophe Coatnoan	Pierre-Yves Lautrou
NAME TO BE SUPPLIED	26	Marc Lepesqueux	Eric Defert
NOVEDIA - INITIATIVES	30	Tanguy de Lamotte	Jean Galfione
KEY SOURCE	42	Mike West	Joffy Bird
GROUPE PICOTY	20	Jacques Fournier	Denis Van Weynebrgh
DESTINATIONDUNKERQUE	88	Thomas Ruyant	Tanguy Leglatin
PHESHEYA RACING	23	Nick Legatt	Philippa Hutton Squire
APPART CITY	55	Yvan Noblet	David Tabore
MOONPALACE	75	Roeland Franssens	Michel Kleinjans
40 DEGREES	90	Peter Harding	Halvard Mabire