More classes for Normandy Sailing Week

Archambault M34 to have its Tour Voile warm-up in Le Havre

The sixth Normandy Sailing Week and the second to be held in Le Havre will gather together a sizeable line-up over 11-13 June with 12 classes invited to the event, compared with eight in 2010.

2010 saw Normandy Sailing Week move to Le Havre, a host city allowing access to deep water at any state of the tide, several dynamic yacht clubs and a vast experience of organising watersports events. These assets will now play a major role in continuing the development of the event and enabling it to exceed the threshold of 100 craft that was reached for the first time last year.

The schedule for the various classes has been drawn up for 2011.

Among the newcomers is the new steed for the Tour de France à la Voile, the Archambault M34, as well as the Longtze, Seascape 18 and Open 5.70 in the sportsboat category and a IRC contingent.

The event has been retained as the first stage of the FFV's French Crewed Championships, two weeks prior to the start of the Tour de France à la Voile. As such the M34s will begin their first races in Normandy Sailing Week from 10 June, where 15 or so teams are expected.

The Longzte sportsboat from China is continuing to take Europe by storm and is returning to the event as part of its new West Trophy circuit, which encompasses the major European events and Cowes Week. Two additional new series of sportsboats are also due to participate: the Seascape 18, a new craft from Slovenia with 100 boats already produced, and the Finot-designed Open 5.70. The growth of the event’s sportsboat category means that one of the three race zones will be dedicated solely to these craft.

In the IRC fleet, a new class has been created for craft measuring 45 to 50 feet (15/16m – TCC > than 1.060), to add to the three existing classes. This is aimed at the larger British yachts, among others, which took part in the event in 2010 (Swan 45, DK 46, Grand Soleil 43….). Amongst the 2011 objectives is the aim of attracting local cruiser-racers from the Baie de Seine area (Deauville /Honfleur /Ouistreham /Courseulles /and Dieppe…) as well as an increasing number of British crews in all the IRC classes.

Of those classes that took partin 2010, several are set to be further boosted this year, such as the Laser SB3 sportsboats, with a sizeable fleet expected thanks to the development of the class in Upper Normandy and the proximity of the World Championships in the UK in May, which are likely to see 120 boat participating. The Class 6.5 (Mach 6.5 /K 650 /Open 6.50) is also filling out with around 20 expected on the circuit in 2011.

The J/80 class is expected to include 20 to 25 boats - 20 boats are based between Le Havre and Deauville alone, with around 40 in Normandy and the North Sea. Finally, the Beneteau 7.5 should be represented by a further 20 or so crews, as part of the selection process for the French Espoirs Championship, which will again be held in Le Havre in August. The Open 7.50 and J/109 are also likely to race in their own classes.