19 July 2010
THE NORMANDY CHANNEL RACE 2011 IS TAKING SHAPE!
After a first running of the event back in May, which was relished by all
those involved, organisation of the NORMANDY CHANNEL RACE 2011 is underway.
THE DATES AND AN IDENTICAL FORMAT
The 2011 start date is set for Sunday 15th May, with the finish scheduled
for the weekend of 21st to 22nd May.
The event format is set to follow the model which proved so successful for
the first edition: a competitive double-handed race spanning 1,000 miles of
the English Channel, a course which is pretty much identical to the previous
edition and will encompass Normandy, England and Ireland, as well as a
highly international competitive line-up and official support from the Class
40.
The Notice of Race will be published soon and will provide details of all
the competitive aspects as a continuation of the 2010 edition.
THE COMMITMENT OF LOCAL GROUPS
The Town of Caen will once again play host to the start and finish of the
event.
Gathered together in 2010 around a shared ambition for the region, the Town
of Caen, the Lower Normandy Region, the Calvados Departmental Council and
the urban area of Caen la Mer expressed their desire to increase the
prestige of the watersports network as a development tool that is both
competitive and economic, as well as being capable of drawing in the
tourists.
The various public partnerships are to be formalised between now and the
start of the Route du Rhum at the end of October, the latter being the index
event for the Class 40s in 2010.
A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE GLOBAL OCEAN RACE
The Global Ocean Race will see the Class 40s set off around the world in
September 2011 with stopovers in South Africa, New Zealand, Uruguay and the
United States. Directed by Josh Hall, a key player in international offshore
racing, this ambitious event has already signed up 15 participants a year
prior to the start.
The two events have come together with a view to promoting Class 40 offshore
racing. This partnership will give those participating in the Global Ocean
Race the opportunity to carry out the majority of their qualifier course
during the Normandy Channel Race 2011. Indeed those who complete the course
will be credited with 1,500 miles of the 2,000 required to qualify for the
circumnavigation. The same is true for the crews. If two members of a crew
have competed in the Normandy Channel Race, the other members (possibility
of crew changes at each stage with a limit of 6 people per team) will only
have to sail 1,000 miles to qualify.
As such the Normandy Channel Race is an excellent opportunity for those
crews hoping to compete in the Global Ocean Race and wishing to perform
their qualifier in some demanding conditions. Furthermore these links with
the Global Ocean Race will flavour the Normandy event with the oceanic
overtones of a round the world course.
Contacts
SIRIUS EVENEMENTS - 93 Boulevard Exelmans - 75016 PARIS
Website: www.normandy-race.com
Translated by Kate Jennings - Expression
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