2026 CIC Med Channel Race Start
by Sirius Events 3 May 17:36 BST
3 May 2026
2026 CIC Med Channel Race Start © Jean-Marie Liot / CIC Med Race
Today at 1:00 PM local time (11:00 AM UTC), the Class40 fleet of the 2nd edition of the CIC MED CHANNEL RACE set off for a 1000-mile race in the western Mediterranean between Marseille, Corsica, Sardinia, and the Balearic Islands.
In the shadow of the Château d'If, the Class40s started with around fifteen knots of wind for a beautiful coastal course that took them south of the bay near Les Goudes before rounding the Château d'If and heading for the next starting gate, leaving the island of Porquerolles behind. Of this course, it was number 142 PHARE 40, skippered by Mathieu Claveau and François Verdier, that took the lead as they left the harbor of Marseille, closely followed by two scows: number 179 GLACES ROMANE, skippered by Laurent Camprubi and Samuel Buissart, and number 168 RDT LOGISTICS - OCEAN CONNECT, skippered by Yves Courbon and Mathieu Henry.
A course adapted for 1,000 miles offshore in the Mediterranean
At the skipper briefing, race director Miranda Merron, fresh from the last leg of the GLOBE40, announced the latest course modifications to the skippers. As with its sister race, the CIC NORMANDY CHANNEL RACE, the official course is a framework that can be adapted either before or during the race to ensure the best possible conditions for the planned 1,000 miles and to be back in Marseille for the second weekend.
Given the weather conditions, the skippers will sail directly from the Var coast and Île du Levant to the Strait of Bonifacio, bypassing the Calvi Bay mark this year. Indeed, a zone of calms across the entire northwest quarter of Corsica raised concerns about a potentially long wait to round the buoy at the foot of the beautiful Calvi citadel. Similarly, for the Balearic passage, it will be the island of Menorca that must be rounded this year, not Majorca, although course modifications are still possible at each mark, as is the case in Normandy. The current weather forecast should allow for the entire planned course, with predominantly upwind sailing until the south of Sardinia, followed by downwind legs for the second half of the race. The current forecast is for an arrival in Marseille next Friday evening.
The Mediterranean: A Territory for the Development of the Class40
As the only major offshore racing class to offer an annual event on the French Mediterranean coast, the Class40 is a very suitable platform for the races offered. The class fleet in the south offers a balance between amateur projects and professional crews, perhaps even more so than in the Atlantic or the English Channel, where professional or semi-professional projects dominate all the races. The same applies to the types of boats: in the frequent conditions of the south, light winds, and especially upwind, the classic Class40s, known as "pointus" (sharp-shaped boats), maintain good performance capabilities compared to the latest technology Class40s, known as "scows." Leading out of the Bay of Marseille, pointu #142 is leading the two scows, #179 and #168, and it is quite possible that the race for the lead will be decided between these competitors, along with #134, which is also performing well.
After a very good start from Marseille at 4:00 PM, the 179 GLACES ROMANE was in the lead, followed by the two traditional classic boats STELLA NOVA No. 134 and PHARE 40 No. 142, sailing upwind along the Var coast towards the island of Porquerolles, 25 nautical miles to starboard, which they should reach by the end of the evening.
To access the crew presentations: www.med-race.com/les-equipages
To follow the race on the map (a position update every 15 minutes): www.med-race.com/suivre-la-course
Website: www.med-race.com