20 Class40s already signed up for 8th edition of the Normandy Channel Race

by Denis van den Brink 10 Feb 2017 12:46 GMT 11-21 May 2017

20 Class40s are already signed up for the Normandy Channel Race © Jean-Marie Liot / www.jmliot.com

From 11 to 21 May 2017, Caen, the English Channel, the Irish Sea and the Celtic Sea will once again form the backdrop for nearly 1,000 miles of close-contact racing, skirting the coasts of Normandy, England and Ireland.

20 crews of two skippers have already answered the call of this great classic of the Class40 circuit, which is the only offshore race to host a start and finish in the same harbour, in Caen. The great wealth of sailing conditions encountered in the English Channel, the Solent, the Scilly Isles and the Fastnet attracts highly skilled offshore and inshore racers, all fascinated by the prospect of a series of fine confrontations that are as technical as they are tactical. In this way, with every passing edition since 2010, the Normandy Channel Race has crowned the most rounded French and international sailors, whilst ensuring the promotion of a Class40 that is constantly expanding.

An event with boundless originality...

With British, German, Spanish as well as French winners in its last seven editions, the Normandy Channel Race makes a name for itself through its highly international line-up. A fact that is translating across to 2017 too with entries from no fewer than 5 overseas boats, including that of Japanese sailor Hiroshi Kitada, who posted a dazzling performance last year during his initiatory transatlantic races from Plymouth to New York, and from Quebec to Saint Malo. English sailor Phil Sharp, second last year, is returning to the fray, fired up to do even better and continue to pave the way ahead for the other competing nationalities, including the Italians, the Finns and the Dutch. This cosmopolitanism cannot fail to spur on the French sailors to even greater performances. Indeed, the Norman event is asserting itself as a very convincing testing ground for new boats. Two of the very latest generation craft are flying the French and the Norman flag in the form of Campagne de France, skippered by Halvard Mabire and Miranda Merron (No.147), and Cap des Palmes (No.148) skippered by Brieuc Maisonneuve and the skippers are sure to be keen to put the winter's fine-tuning through its paces.

The nautical arena dedicated to the Normandy Channel Race between the Norman coast, southern England and Ireland, holds few secrets for a number of sailors and yet, with every edition, a whole new set of unexpected weather sequences are unveiled, which are further complicated by the effects of the coast and the currents that disconcert even the finest strategists. A sprint spanning 5 days or so, the NCR drives crews of men and women to dig deep into their physical and mental resources. In fact, in the shallow waters of the Irish Sea, past the Scillies, conditions can prove treacherous and tough for the sailors and the gear alike. Seemingly, the Normandy Channel Race is won in the quest for perfection, from the preparation back on shore through to the final choices in the very last tack changes, to the constant pressure of rivals hot on your heels. It is also won with the correct negotiation of phenomena specific to the key passage points along the course such as the current in the Solent, the Scillies, the Channel Islands, Blanchard and Barfleur. The Normandy Channel Race is a voyage, a great escape if you will, that takes in the shores and the wild splendours of Cornwall, Ireland and the Cotentin...

The Class40; accessible high performance

In the shadow of what are the swankier classes due to larger prize hauls (Imoca or the Ultimes for example), the Class40s are continuing to appeal to an increasing number of sailors keen to set sail on offshore races with controlled costs. In a very short space of time, the Class40s have shot ahead, stepping things up a gear from boats appreciated for their reliability to genuine speed machines. The last edition of the Transat Quebec Saint Malo in July 2016 showed everyone just what these little 12.18m bombs were made of in the hands of enterprising expert crews. Whether they're from the so-called former generation, like Carac launched in 2008, or Talés II built in 2013, all of them have broken records for peak speeds or the distance covered in 24 hours. Indeed, who can forget the 373 miles covered in a single day by the Botin Talés II design, winner of the 2016 edition of the Normandy Channel Race, with a dizzying average speed for this type of craft of 11.37 knots! Furthermore, it was at over 27 knots that a number of competitors surfed the long swell of the North Atlantic. With this in mind, the very changeable conditions in the week-long Normandy Channel Race are sure to give this highly dynamic class an opportunity to showcase its pace and handling, whatever the point of sail.

The course (around 1,000 miles):