D-day for the 2020 Class40 World Championship

Antoine Carpentier (Redman) –Transat Jacques Vabre 2021 winner © Jean-Marie Liot

Important information:

• The Class40 2022 World Champion title is up for grabs from Monday 13 to Saturday 18 June in La Rochelle (France),
• 17 Class40 vessels registered,
• Crew races with a 24-hour event and constructed and coastal routes in the Pertuis Charentais, not to mention participation in the Tour de l'Ile de Ré,
• A Race Space and the Class40 vessels present at the Bassin des Chalutiers in La Rochelle,
• Online accreditation request

The return of a Class40 World Championship

For the second time, Grand Pavois Organisation is organising this Class40 World Championship event from 13 to 18 June 2022 in La Rochelle, in partnership with the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region, the Charente-Maritime Department, and with technical support from the Municipality of La Rochelle and La Rochelle Marina.

The first competition of this kind was called Morbihan Mondial Class40 and was held in La Trinité-sur-Mer in 2007 and 2008. In 2009, the competition was given the official title Mondial Class40 and was held in Hamble, England.

In 2010, Grand Pavois Organisation took over the organisation of the event in Gijon (Spain) before it moved to Bénodet in 2011. It was La Rochelle which hosted the last edition in 2012. As luck would have it, Grand Pavois Organisation, with the support of Class40, is once again running this World Championship in La Rochelle in 2022 after a 10-year absence.

Back to the history

2007: La Trinité-sur-Mer (France) - Winner Atao Audio System (23) with Dominic Vittet
2008: La Trinité-sur-Mer (France) - Winner Novedia Group - SET Environnement (30) with Tanguy de Lamotte
2009: Hamble (England) - Winner Concise (43) with Ned Collier Wakefield
2010: Gijon (Spain) - Winner Tales - Villa Esperanza (65) with Gonzalo Botin
2011: Bénodet (France) - Winner Jack in the box (104) with Aloys Claquin
2012: la Rochelle (France) - Winner Tales (65) with Gonzalo Botin

Halvard Mabire, President of Class40 on the 2022 World Championship: "A high-level crew event near the coast which offers an interesting contrast in the Class40 race programme given that these boats are mainly designed for ocean racing with limited crews.

Apart from the interest of the contact sailing regatta, which will help to showcase the crews' talent and compare the qualities of these very different-looking boats in more detail, it is also a great opportunity to promote Class40 and present these wonderful vessels in high-level regattas that are not ocean races."

17 registered for the Class40 World Championship

Currently, 17 crews are registered for this Class40 World Championship. Note the presence of some well-known and recognised skippers with many new boats and the presence of Class40 vessels with an impressive list of prizes:

• Franz Bouvet with Yoda (FRA 65) - Note: this Class40 won the World Class40 in La Rochelle in 2012 with Gonzalo Botin.
• José Guilherme Caldas with Mussulo 40 (GB 90) - Note: this Class40 won the Morbihan Class40 in 2009 and the Rorc Carribean 600 in 2013 with Peter Harding.
• Florian Gueguen with Dopamine Sailing Team (FRA 104) - Note: this Class40 won the World Class40 in 2011 in Bénodet (France) with Aloys Claquin.
• Rémi Rabbe with Le bassin français (FRA 115) - Note: this Class40 won La Solidaire du Chocolat in 2012 and La Normandy Channel Race in 2013 with Jorg Riechers.
• Jean-Baptiste Daramy with Chocolat Paries - Screb (FRA 123) - Note: this Class40 won La Route du Rhum 2014 with Alex Pella, La Transat Québec Saint-Malo 2016 with Gonzalo Botin, La Normandy Channel Race 2016 et Les Sables Horta 2017 with Pablo Santurde Del Arco.
• Anatole Facon with Naviguons contre le diabète (FRA 124) - Note: this Class40 won The Round the island race 2013 with Ricardo Pavoncelli.
• Marc Lepesqueux with Sensation Class40 Extrem (FRA 140).
• Hervé Thomas with Bleu Blanc (FRA 149) - Note: this Class40 won The Rorc Caribbean 600 2022 with Hervé Thomas.
• Jules Bonnier with Nestenn - Entrepreneurs pour la planète (FRA 153) - Note: this Class40 won the 40'Malouine and the Rolex Fastnet Race in 2019 with Luke Berry.
• Clara Fortin and Martin Louchard with Randstad - Ausy (FRA 155) - Note: this Class40 won the Volvo Round Island Yacht Race in 2018 with Nicolas Troussel.
• Valentin Gautier (Switzerland) with CER Offshore - Banque du Léman (SUI 159) - Note: this Class40 won the Normandy Channel Race in 2020 with Valentin Gautier.
• Antoine Carpentier with Redman (FRA 161) - Note: Antoine Carpentier is the last winner of the 2021 Transat Jacques Vabre in Class40, associated with Pablo Santurde Del Arco.
• Aurélien Ducroz with Crosscall (FRA 166) - Note: an atypical course for Aurélien, who has two titles of World Champion in... freeride skiing. He is now sailing on a boat launched in 2021.
• Amélie Grassi with La Boulangère Bio (FRA 170) - Note: A 28-year-old Rochelle navigator who sails on a Class40 launched in 2021 on a plan by architect David Raison. In 2010, this architect introduced into the principle of scow architecture, a wide hull at the front with a round bow. This principle is found today on many offshore racing boats.
• Kéni Piperol with Captain Alternance (FRA 174) - Note: Captain Alternance was built at Lalou Multi and is the first 100% recyclable Class40.
• Matthieu Perraut with Inter Invest (FRA 175) - Note: Class40 launched in 2022. Architect David Raison's plans also.
• Luke Berry with Lamotte - Module Création (FRA 185) - Note: Lamotte - Module Création was launched on June 3, 2022. This will be the first competition of this new generation Class40.

It promises to be a high-quality line-up which, since they will be skippered by crews, will offer the chance to observe the capacities of certain boats launched recently before the major solo event, the Route du Rhum - Destination Guadeloupe. It is interesting and rewarding to be able to add the Class40 World Championship 2022 title to your prize list!

A 24-hour event and coastal routes...

Although Class40s compete in all the major single-handed and double-handed sailing competitions, this World Championship offers Class40s the chance to sail with a crew and race alongside other top-class sailors in their bid for the title. Daily contact regattas from Tuesday 14 June, held in the Pertuis Charentais, involving symbolic sites in the New Aquitaine Region and the Charente-Maritime Department, partners of the event, such as Fort Boyard, the islands of Aix, Ré and Oléron, not to mention the participation of the Class40 fleet in the Tour de l'Ile de Ré on Saturday 18 June 2022.

Finally, a Race Area will be available next to the Bassin des Chalutiers in La Rochelle to support the event and share it with the general public, the press, the teams and the Class40 partners committed to this World Championship event.

Official poster of the World Class40 - photo © Grand Pavois Organisation