A sporty start for the 15th edition of the Armen Race
by SNT 14 May 09:51 PDT
14-17 May 2026
15th Armen Race Start © SNT
Despite a few last-minute withdrawals due to weather forecasts, 644 sailors representing 176 clubs from across France set off on Thursday, May 14th in Quiberon Bay for the 15th edition of the Armen Race.
The wind was blowing between 18 and 20 knots under cloudy skies—competitive conditions, true to the spirit of the event.
A selective bay exit
As anticipated by race control, the weather deteriorated rapidly as the boats left the bay. Around twenty retirements, none serious, were recorded in the first few hours of the race, mainly due to torn sails following gybes in choppy conditions. The rest of the course also looks challenging, with an unstable northwesterly wind, squalls, and gusts expected to reach up to 35 knots.
Race management at the heart of the system
Behind the excitement of the race control center, Gilles Bricout, the race director, ensures coordination with the calm and rigor forged by years of experience at the SNT and the SNSM.
"Even if you know how it works, it's always a stressful time," he confides. "You have to take things in order, know how to assess the levels of urgency, and respond quickly to the sailors and the CROSS (Regional Operational Surveillance and Rescue Center). I analyze each situation to provide appropriate responses to each person and prevent further accidents. When things happen one after another like today, with around twenty retirements in 45 minutes, you wonder when it will end. These are mainly torn sails due to gybes, so nothing serious. We know most of the skippers; they are experienced, which allows us to trust their rescue instincts. Furthermore, beacons are installed on each boat, which makes our job easier and reassures the families. We track the boats until they return to shore using a monitoring board and cross-referencing information to ensure everything ends well."
Each boat involved is equipped with a tracking beacon, allowing the public to follow the race but also enabling the race management to locate the entire fleet in real time and maintain a safety link until each crew returns to shore. You can track the fleet here.
Find out more on the event website, snt-voile.org/regates/event/armen-race-2026