The Tour de France à la voile 2016 – Revitalised + Video

by A.S.O./Tour de France à la voile on 6 Dec 2015 Towards a participation record

The Tour de France à la Voile 2016 was presented today at Paris Boat Show. The event is looking strong ahead of the second edition to be sailed on Diam 24 boats. Entries have been open for only a month and 31 teams have already announced their participation. Several more teams are keen to join while looking to complete their budget.

The success of the new concept launched last year is attracting competitors, sponsors, partners and local authorities. “All our 2015 host ports have asked to welcome the Tour de France à la Voile again shortly after the event, which goes to show its new dynamic,” explained the event director Jean-Baptiste Durier to the 300 persons gathered this morning to discover the route and the novelties of the 2016 edition.

Three new ‘Iconic Acts’

The event is attracting more and more host ports. Looking at renewing the route one-third at a time, the Tour will return to the Normandy cliffs of Dieppe this summer. The Diam 24 will then discover two new locations amongst the most beautiful of the French coastline: Baden-Golfe of Morbihan in southern Brittany and Hyères and its islands, including Porquerolles, in the Toulon Provence Méditerranée area.

As usual, there will be nine ‘Acts’ – this time with a Mediterranean accent. “Mainly for sport and logistic reasons, we focus every year on a given area while staying within the three weeks of racing and sharing equally between the different coastlines over several editions,” explained Jean-Baptiste Durier. The other Acts of the Tour 2016 were already host ports last year: Dunkirk, Roscoff, Gruissan, Marseille and Nice – where the final will be hosted once again.

This new dynamic is the main reason why host ports showed a renewed interest in the event. The sailing show organised right next to the beach, and the Village, are key local players as explained by Jean-Paul Chapalain, Président of Morlaix CCI. “Roscoff marina is becoming a highlight of the Tour de France à la Voile where the teams are coming back for the third time in a row. It was a success again in 2015 and the Diam 24 can sail really close to the coast, emphasizing our magnificent Finistère north coast. Last year’s show was splendid around the isle of Batz and the tight racing was mind blowing. Thanks to the Tour de France à la Voile, there is something to do on dry land too and the Village attracted many families. That’s why we enjoyed this event so much.”

With a Village open to everyone, an advertising convoy and beach activities, the Tour de France à la Voile reached 25,000 contacts per Act in 2015 – the presence of the spectators having increased, too, according to a TNS Sofres survey. People stayed an average of two to three hours, a duration that proves how the event constantly gets richer in terms of sport and on land activities.

A renewed spirit

Amaury Sport Organisation revitalized the event without changing what makes the Tour de France à la Voile so unique – sailors coming from all horizons. This will once again be the case this year, yet another proof of the appeal of the race.

In fact, most of last year’s teams will be on the start line again this coming summer. Filière Team France, a youth team carrying the colours of Franck Cammas’ French project in the next America’s Cup. Third last year, Fred Guilmin and Damien Iehl will sail with Nicolas Troussel for Crédit Mutuel Bretagne; Quentin Delapierre and Mathieu Salomon with Team Lorina Golfe du Morbihan while Solune Robert and Riwan Perron sail with their second crew. The Spindrift team is currently on the water, focused on its Jules Verne Trophy attempt – the defending champions will announce their program for 2016 after their circumnavigation.

The young guns of the APCC are coming back and so are Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Poujoulat), Aurélien Ducroz (COVED), Fred Duthil (Grandeur Nature Véranda), Damien Seguin (Fondation FDJ), Benoit Champanach (Accor Hôtel Natixis Yacht Club Saint-Lunaire), Emeric Dary (Dynamique Homkia), Sébastien Rogues (Team Engie), Charles Hainneville (Installux Aluminium), Loic Féquet with Franck-Yves Escoffier (SNBSM Espoir Compétition Saint-Malo), Arnaud Daval (Techneau), Daniel Souben (Extrem Team Morbihan) or Dunkerque Voile.

Vincent Riou, winner of The Vendée Globe 2004-05, was on The Tour last year. He is preparing the next around the world race and won’t be on the start line this year. But he is thinking about the Tour 2017 : « I really enjoyed my experience on the Tour last summer. The level of the competition is really high. The entry list for 2016 is impressive. I will do my best to be back in 2017 ».

New competitors

Other projects have joined too: Trésors de Tahiti, VDC Offshore, Colombus Café, the project of the Centre d’Entrainement Méditerranée, Normandy Elite Team au féminin, Marc Thiercelin (Flying boat by Thiercelin), Ile de France – CVSQ, Team Terrillon Avocats, Reel / PGO Automobiles, ORPI Sailing Team, Team Concise (UK), BE Bruxelles (BEL), Oman Sail who’re coming back in 2016.

This entry list (30 teams for the moment) will only get longer, with four Wild Cards available for projects outside of the European Union. But, with seven months to go the start, the playing field is already bigger than last year (28 teams). “Seeing the Tour attracting so many sailors is a true satisfaction. This new formula has been thought with them and for them. We’re delighted to welcome even more teams this year!” added Jean-Baptiste Durier.

One Tour, many innovations

Learning from the 2015 ‘Revolution’, the Tour de France à la Voile will keep evolving to meet the needs of this growth. The logistics on and off the water will be improved, including around the ‘Paddocks’, with more human and material resources.

Rules will evolve, too. Inshore races (‘Stades Nautiques’) will now start automatically under Black Flag – all missed starts will now be disqualifying, just like in swimming or athletism. There will be more on-water umpires along with international judges, making a combination of two qualifying races possible for a denser, uninterrupted show.

Another innovation will be the Super-Finale concluding the racing days. After the qualifying races, only the six best teams will stay on the water to race this Super-Finale with all points brought back to zero. Every day, the first six places will be fought over one unique race, a novelty in a sport usually using averages. The first to cross the line will win the day. The pressure on the water will only be bigger and this new system will please the crowds and the media who will find it easier to explain the ranking systeams.

“The Tour is an evolving event,” concludes Jean-Baptiste Durier. “We’re constantly innovating to satisfy sailors, ports, partners, media and spectators, and they’re giving a lot back to us. The Tour did its Revolution in 2015 and this Revolution is happening now.”

Parcours 3D - Tour Voile 2016 by TOURVOILE