Tuesday 24 October 2017

The Normandy Channel Race’s ambitions

Launched in 2010 according to an idea by Manfred Ramspacher, with the support of the local authorities, the highly original Normandy Channel Race has quickly established itself as a major classic in the oceanic programme for international offshore racers thanks to its incredibly attractive competition format. Its 9th edition, which sets sail from Caen on Sunday 27 May 2018, is shaping up to be particularly promising given the extensive range of new Class40 projects, just a few months shy of the 40th anniversary of the Route du Rhum where these 12.18m monohulls will once again dominate the line-up. The whole of the organisation team gathered together around Manfred Ramspacher is already busying itself to ensure the event is a success from a competitive, public and media perspective. Racers, sponsors and visitors will receive a warm welcome at Quai Vendeuvre, Bassin Saint Pierre in Caen, where everyone gets involved and the secrets of this complicated racecourse within the confines of the English Channel, the Irish and Celtic Sea, are shared.

Tailor-made for the Class40s!

“The Class40 needs original events designed specifically for it”, explains Halvard Mabire, skipper of the monohull Campagne de France and President of the Class 40. “The Normandy Channel Race fulfils all the criteria required and appreciated by our racers: an attractive course hugging the coasts of England, Ireland and Normandy, just a thousand miles long or around 5 to 7 days of double-handed racing, in a close contact battle with an increasingly homogenous, International fleet, where the mixing of the sexes plays a key role…”

Gearing towards a record edition?

From 24 May to 3 June 2018 and for the 9th consecutive year, Caen and its Bassin Saint Pierre will be hosting the cream of what is a fast-developing class, particularly so internationally. Though 24 craft lined up for the event last year (27 in 2016), it is entirely reasonable that Manfred Ramspacher is aiming for a record number of participants for the 2018 opus. Indeed, 2018 is the 40th anniversary of the Route du Rhum and this coming spring there will be a number of 40-foot monohull projects keen to launch their campaign by competing in the fantastic trial run that is the Normandy Channel Race.

Overseas skippers are just wild about it!

Since the creation of the event, the repeated successes of overseas crews like Pablo Santurde and Fidel Turienzo (Talès II) in 2016, and the same Pablo Santurde teamed up with Phil Sharp (Imerys) in 2017, have seemingly whetted the appetites of the international crews, who now flock to the event from as far afield as Norway and the United Arab Emirates to compete in this class with its competitive, reasonable budgets. Meantime, the local Norman projects are also set to pack a punch at the helm of a series of fast evolving modern boats.

New partners in 2017

2017 has seen the implementation of a new ‘business’ provision set up by the highly experienced company TBMS, managed by Thomas Bracqbien, which has a very strong foothold in the region. This provision includes a more extensive race village, which now covers both quays of the Bassin St Pierre and has been enhanced by work to develop the site by the City of Caen, resulting in a growth of facilities for local companies to offer hospitality to their clients and associates. In this way, MITSUBISHI MOTORS has become Official Partner to the event by signing up for 2017 and 2018.

Based on this success, the 2018 provision has been further extended and is available to view on the www.normandy-race.com website under the ‘Enterprise Offer’.

Of particular note for the crews is the fact that a ‘partners’ provision is included in the registration for 2018, which will enable them to benefit from some special rates for the event.

ADREA Mutuelle new Official Partner in 2018

In 2018, the Normandy Channel Race is welcoming the mutual insurance firm ADREA, which is today announcing its presence at the next edition as Official Partner.

ADREA Mutuelle is a French protagonist in the field of Health, Providence, Savings and Retirement, true to its mutualistic values of solidarity, liberty and democracy. Today, ADREA Mutuelle protects over a million people across France.

With a strong local foothold, ADREA Mutuelle is developing close partnerships with the world of sport, economics, social affairs and associations in its area of business.

Targeted communication:

Social networks and the diversification of audio-visual media and so on have led the organisation to shift the emphasis of its media strategy by providing the necessary means to ensure the race highlights are increasingly visible. As such there will be an amplification of the most striking images and facts from the event available for both the media and the general public, which will showcase the beauty and intensity of the course from the lighthouses of Tuskar and Fastnet, to the Isle of Wight and the Scillies, Raz Blanchard, Saint Marcouf and much more besides.

Manfred Ramspacher, organiser of the Normandy Channel Race

“In the space of a few years, the Normandy Channel Race has established itself as one of the key races in the event schedule both nationally and internationally, since participants come from all over Europe to take part. It provides a unique opportunity for fans not just of offshore racing but also fine maritime adventures to come together with fellow sailors, with extraordinary track records and backgrounds. Its relatively short duration favours media coverage and a public following, and its action-packed programme ensures it thrills every audience. The event is destined to become a festival on the water for the racers and a festival on shore for all the Norman fans of the sea and their coastline. With every edition, we become more and more attached to it.”

The Notice of Race 2018 is published as of today and registration is now open on the website www.normandy-race.com, Racers area / registration.