A remarkable Class 40 season - Cédric de Kervenoael, President of Class40 reflects
by Cédric de Kervenoael 1 Jan 02:37 AEDT
Cédric de Kervenoael, President of Class40 © Vincent Olivaud
The 2025 season will be remembered as one of the most intense and memorable seasons in Class40 history.
Demanding courses, challenging conditions and a remarkable level of performance have punctuated a year in which innovation and performance constantly pushed the limits. This strong momentum is already paving the way for a promising 2026 season.
Intense and memorable in the English Channel - Atlantic
The year 2025 has lived up to all its promises. It has been a challenging, demanding, sometimes tough, but always exciting season, which will undoubtedly remain one of the most memorable seasons in Class40 history. Right from the start, the CIC Normandy Channel Race was particularly gruelling, and the weather conditions set the tone. It was a 'windy' season, both literally and figuratively, marked by intense racing and a few incidents that will remain etched in the memories of those who experienced them. The new format for Les Sables-Horta, with a double-handed outward leg and a solo return leg, brought a decidedly innovative dimension to the calendar, offering suspense right up to the very last seconds at the finish. The Rolex Fastnet Race, as always, lived up to its promises, as did the 40 Malouine - La Trinquette, confirming the sporting richness of the circuit.
The Mediterranean boom
In the Mediterranean, we have been fortunate to have high-quality events. The arrival of the CIC Med Channel Race, hosted for the first time by the Aix-Marseille-Provence Metropolis in a magnificent setting, marked an important turning point for the development of the Mediterranean circuit. These races offer an increasingly dense and competitive line-up, with some outstanding performances by the so-called 'pointed' boats, which have surprised everyone and demonstrated, once again, the relevance and durability of these vessels within the Class40.
A spectacular end to the season in Martinique
The season ended on a high note with the Transat Café L'Or Le Havre - Normandie. It was a magnificent race, fiercely contested right to the end, which crowned a worthy winner at the end of a particularly challenging championship.
A positive CSR assessment
Alongside the sporting intensity, Class40 has continued its commitment to environmental responsibility. The work carried out on the class's carbon footprint has delivered particularly impressive results, placing Class40 today as one of the most (if not the most) virtuous classes in ocean racing.
Allianz and Plastimo, partners
2025 also marked the first year of our partnership with the Allianz Group. This collaboration has enabled us to better insure our boats while significantly reducing budgets, with costs halved for members. This highly appreciated partnership has been renewed for 2026.
We have also taken an important step forward in terms of safety with the introduction, in partnership with Plastimo, of a standardised life raft. This strong decision is based on a clear conviction: safety must never become a performance tool. I would like to thank all our members for cooperating despite the budgetary constraints this may have represented, as this is the price we must pay to guarantee fairness and an impeccable level of safety.
Appointments in January
Work has also begun with sailmakers to review class rules, particularly regarding sail areas, with proposals to increase the size of the J2 relative to the J1 and manage the use of storm jibs better.
After such a season, it is time to celebrate our champions. A closing evening will be held in Paris next January, preceded by the Annual General Meeting. This time for discussion will be a chance to address all the key issues for the future of the class: calendar, measurement, strategic orientations and future developments.
Heading for 2026
The year 2026 is already shaping up to be an exceptional one, with the Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe on the horizon, which will be a major highlight, and the creation of a special trophy dedicated to solo skippers.
This trophy will reward the best solo sailor at the end of a series of events including the Drheam Cup, the Route du Rhum and the Trin40, a new 1,200-mile solo race starting from La Trinité-sur-Mer, which will be organised by Class40 in collaboration with SNT for the technical aspects.
Thanks and see you in 2026
Finally, Class40 has strengthened its structure by recruiting a dual student dedicated to communications. This decision has greatly boosted our presence on social media, with more than 4 million cumulative views in a single year. We intend to continue this momentum.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to Vanessa, who remains an essential part of the smooth running of the class, and to whom we wish all the best as she approaches a happy event. I would also like to warmly thank our measurers, who are always present and available, and whose work, often discreet but indispensable, contributes to the smooth operation of our championship.
I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season, a well-deserved rest, and peaceful preparations for what is already shaping up to be an exceptional 2026 season.
Cédric de Kervenoael
President of Class40