20 entries with a month to go till start of Normandy Channel Race 2014

by Kate Jennings on 25 Apr 2014 The Normandy Channel Race - has confirmed its status as a major meeting by kick-starting the Class40 season with some 20 duos already registered and a month to go till the race start on Sunday 25 May.

Another fine line-up which reflects the characteristic features that give the Class40 its identity and its success (20 new craft in 2013 - 2014): professional skippers raising the sporting level ever higher, enlightened amateurs who have found a craft that enables them to take the start of the major offshore races, noble human projects as well as the most international offshore class with the highest number of female skippers.

Among the leading projects we find the winner of the last Transat Jacques Vabre and 2013 Class40 champion, Sébastien Rogues (GDF - SUEZ), Miranda Merron and Halvard Mabire (Campagne De France), Damien Seguin (ERDF – Des pieds et des mains), Jean Christophe Caso and Aymeric Chappellier (Team Picoty – Lac De Vassivieres), Yannick Bestaven, winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2011 and fourth in 2013, as well as Pierre-Yves Lautrou (L’express – Trepia ), who will be sailing with Thomas Ruyant, winner of the first edition of the race and also Route du Rhum and Mini Transat champion.

In fact, past Mini sailors make up a large contingent to this year’s competition with representation from Team Work, with Bertrand Delesne, fourth in the last edition, and David Raison, winner of the Mini Transat 2011 and the naval architect responsible for the revolutionary scow bow Mini. Jean Galfione is also returning to the event on Team Serenis Consulting with Eric Péron, the latter currently leading the Transat AG2R.

Registration remains open until 1 May and all the projects will be presented during the press conference on Wednesday 21 May in Caen.

With regards to new features, the implementation of a new satellite positioning system will enable everyone to closely monitor the race via the website cartography with a position every 15’ day and night. The course to Ireland remains the same but Race Management has paved the way for a number of variants in the English Channel in the event of weather difficulties (see the Sailing Instructions available on the website at the end of the week).

On shore, just days away from the 70th anniversary of the Normandy Landings, the entertainment will play an important role in the Bassin St Pierre at the centre of Caen, with a special appearance by the French Navy schooners Etoile and Belle Poule, the diving-bomb disposal vessel Vulcain and the three-master Marite.

Event website: click here