M34 sailing off La Seyne-sur-Mer at the end of the Tour de France à la Voile 2010. Image copyright Archambault boats.
by Kate Jennings (in translation)
After gathering together 100 yachts ranging from 7 to 15 m and nearly 700 racersthis year, the NORMANDY SAILING WEEK, the 2nd of the name in Le Havre and the 6th edition of the Norman event, has every intention of continuing its development in 2011; thus gaining in stature from year to year in the large race meets in France and Europe.
The event will take place over 3 days from Saturday 11th June to Monday 13th June for the majority of the series, thus benefiting from the Whitsun bank holiday. The notice of race is available and registration is open from today on the website www.normandy-week.com (pay attention to this year’s deadline of 15th May before the increase in entry fees).
Sportsboats, reference one design series and IRC cruisers will do battle on the race zones of Le Havre and the Baie de Seine, which will involve tactical courses, coastal courses and a big 100 mile race for the series boats, pending official confirmation from the M34s. From 8 series in 2010 the sports line-up could well comprise 12 in 2011, the whole of the schedule for all the classes being fixed at the start of December at the Paris Boat Show.
The Sportsboatshave a special role in this progression. Indeed, as was the case in 2010, the 6.50 Class is expected to race with its fleet of Mach 6.5s, Open 6.50s and K.650s, while the Laser SB3 is in full revival mode in Normandy, with the series also set to draw in the British and North European crews. Meantime the Longtze, another highly dynamic and flourishing sportsboat, may well return to the event in which it took part in 2009. Finally the event is also due to play host to the Open 5.70s.
The main one design series will also be in attendance of course. These include the J80, which each year boosts its status as the top one design series in France with 150 crews participating in the Coupe de France (French Cup) and the Beneteau First Class 7.5, which will be the craft sailed for the Channel selections for the French Espoirs Championship, set to be held in Le Havre again in August 2011.
Equally the event is a candidate to host the all new M34 in the context of a leg of the FFVoiles’s French Crewed Championship, a stage organised every years since the event’s creation. Due to replace the Farr 30, the Joubert / Nivelt / Mercier design M34 is a 10.34m one design built by the Archambault yard. It is roomier and boasts a greater sail area than its predecessor and the first deliveries are underway to prepare for the Tour de France à la Voile 2011.
The IRC cruisersalso have considerable development potential for the NORMANDY SAILING WEEK and their numbers have continued to increase from one edition to the next (around forty in 2010). After boasting a large fleet in Le Havre this year, the crafts from the other ports of the Baie de Seine area (Dieppe / Fécamp / Honfleur / Deauville / Dives / Ouistreham / Courseulles) are called to take part in this grand race meet. They are set to be joined by the British and North European crews which give the event its international character. In fact, the gradual arrival of the large craft from across the Channel measuring 45 feet and more (Swan 45 – DK 46 – Farr 45) has led to the creation of a 4th IRC class.
Coordinated by the Ligue de Voile de Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy Sailing League), the CNPV (Paul Vatine Nautical Centre), the SRH (Le Havre Racing Society) and the SNPH (Watersports and Yachting of Le Havre) will once again be mobilising their teams to provide a top quality sports reception.
Finally, a sizeable reception programme will enable crews to get together on shore in what will be a very friendly atmosphere broken down into three special soirées, ranging from a crew supper to some festive evenings.
Normandy Sailing Week
