ArMen Race at Société Nautique de la Trinité sur mer
by Joe Lacey 31 May 2017 15:14 BST
25 May 2017
Sodebo and Macif during the ArMen Race © SNT
France's largest offshore race got underway from La Trinite last Thursday as 200 boats set off on the 270 mile course with bright blue skies and 15 knots of wind providing champagne sailing conditions.
The ArMen Line Honours Trophy was claimed by Francois Gabart's Ultime trimaran Macif, finishing ahead of Thomas Coville's record breaking Sodebo.
Armel Tripon's Reaute Chocolat team won the Multi 50 battle, Paul Meilhat's SMA was victorious in the IMOCA class and Berkhard Keese came out on top in the Class 40 battle sailing Stella Nova.
The UNCL Trophy is awarded to the top boat on corrected time – and this year's winner was Grand Soleil 43 Codiam. Nicolas Loday skippered the boat and was delighted with the result.
The largest and arguably most competitive class was the 2-handed IRC division – with 65 entries including 20 Jeanneau Sunfasts and 20 JPK's as well as two new 2-handed specific designs: a J11s and an Ofcet 32. Two JPK 10.80's were amongst the pre-start favourites: Jean-Pierre Kelbert's own boat Leon, and Spi Ouest 2-handed class winner LS-Resa. Stiff competition would be provided by JPK 1010's OGIC (winner of IRC 3 in Spi Ouest) and Alkiad (winner of IRC 4 in the Rolex Fastnet 2015). In the end nobody could keep pace with the immaculately sailed Cifraline, the Sunfast 3200 sailed by Daniel Andrieu, who claimed a hard earned victory.
June at the SNT
The SNT will be co-organizing the Duo Catamania – a week long 2-handed IRC event comprising one coastal race per day. Over 50 closely matched boats are expected with and IRC rating between 0.850 and 1.060. Places are still available if interested skippers would like to register, visit www.duocatamania.com
June will also see the 2nd ever edition of the Voiles et Voiliers de la Baie – a 37 mile tour of Quiberon Bay designed to attract regular racers and familes alike.