Discover the extraordinary at Nice UltiMed
by A.S.O. / Nice UltiMed 13 Apr 2018 17:02 BST
28 April - 6 May 2018
Nice UltiMed © niceultimed.com
From 28 April to 6 May, the City of Nice will host the Nice UltiMed, the first race of its kind to gather together at the heart of the Mediterranean some of the biggest Offshore Racing boats in the world, the Ultime trimarans.
Designed to circumnavigate the globe, they are piloted by the best skippers of our time (Armel Le Cléac'h, Thomas Coville, Yves Le Blévec and Françis Joyon). It is an unprecedented event in a fabulous setting for these giants who have never before come together at the heart of the big blue, designed and devised to share the extraordinary with a Mediterranean audience. Discovering these monsters of the seas with family or friends is sure to be an unforgettable experience.
Race start on Wednesday 2 May at 1:02pm
Head over to the Rauba Capeù promontory, between the Promenade des Anglais and the Port, on Wednesday 2 May, for a spectacular and memorable lunch break! At 13:02pm, the maxi-trimarans will cross the start line set between the luxury ocean liner, The World, and a totem pole rigged up at the end of the promontory. Very close to shore, the giants of the seas will put on a unique show under the public gaze, with live coverage through several TV teams (La Chaine l'Equipe, TF1, LCI, France TV, CNews, Infosport +...) out on the water and in the air.
Dive into the heart of the Nice UltiMed
A free exhibition, open to all and specially designed for the event, will offer spectators a total immersion in the racing universe (around 1hr for a complete tour). Worth exploring on the Promenade des Anglais, Quai des Etats-Unis:
- Discovery of the local setting around Nice and the Mediterranean
- Big screen immersion to enjoy the Ultime sensations
- Museography presenting the Titans, their boats and their crews
- Exploration behind the scenes of the event with the Race Centre production
- Relocated France Bleu studio to enjoy the race live
- France Info workshop to discover various radio professions
- Official 727 Sailbags boutique
Meeting the giants of the seas
Following the Discovery Exhibition tour, a wealth of entertainment put in place along the Promenade des Anglais will lead spectators to the Port where they'll be able to admire the giant trimarans at Quai Infernet.
"The event's raison d'être both on shore and at sea is to share with the Mediterranean audience the extraordinary spectacle put on by these boats, whose proportions are beyond comprehension: they are longer than a basketball court, wider than a handball court, reach 35 metres in height, which is the equivalent of a 10-storey building, and they are powered by a sail area that spans 2.5 tennis courts!" explains Jean-Baptiste Durier, Director of the Nice UltiMed.
Throughout the day, the public will be able to get up close and personal with these exceptional boats, meet the teams and learn how they work thanks to educational panels, commentary over speakers and interviews with the skippers and their team.
Further nautical highlights
On Sunday 29 April, the maxi-multihulls will make their final adjustments during the Exhibition run spanning 100 nautical miles (around 160km) along the coast of the Sud-Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Head over to the Port at 09:00am to greet the skippers and their crews before the 11:00am start, which can be viewed from the Promenade des Anglais. A breathtaking showstopper is guaranteed!
From 1 to 5 May, a Nautical Arena will be set up just metres from the Promenade des Anglais under the public gaze. Races will enjoy live commentary: dinghy sailing competition with Jean-Pierre Dick's "Easy to Fly", the "One Fly" and a variety of Olympic series. This genuine festival of sailing in the Mediterranean will include the participation of youngsters from the clubs around Nice and the PACA Sailing League.
The Race finish line for the giant trimarans will be identical to the start line, hugging the shore. See you at Rauba Capeù to celebrate the winner of the Nice UltiMed, whose arrival on the finish line is scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday 5 May.
Finally, on Sunday 6 May, over one hundred and fifty craft are invited to celebrate the Ultimes during the Nautical Parade. Yachts from Nice's various clubs together with amateur sailors, heritage boats (including Nice's 'Pointus' in particular), motorboats as well as kayaks, Stand Up Paddle boards and windsurf boards... The high spot of the show, the giant trimarans and all the accompanying craft will parade down the Promenade des Anglais from the airport to the Rauba Capeù headland. A fine nautical event to round off this 1st edition of the Nice UltiMed in style!
Sign up for the Nautical Parade.