Tour Voile 2005 announced

A return to the 'historic' ports for June's month long Mumm 30 bash around France

After being taken over in June by the Editions Larivière, the Tour de France à la Voile is getting a brand new makeover for its 28th running.

The 2005 Tour de France à la Voile as usual will be a fast paced event featuring 15 host towns, 37 races and a 1000 nautical mile course, rekindling its reputation as a top high-level event.

More numerous (12) but shorter than average offshore courses (maximum 164 miles) as well as 25 courses around the bay will ensure that the competitive side of the event is permanently fired up. Legs will last a maximum of two days: a format enabling more exposure to the general public. Finally, the 2005 course will see a return to some memorable host towns in the event’s history including Saint-Malo, Vannes, Royan and Menton.

The course for 2005 see the Tour Voile return to its roots. As from 1978 to 1989, the route will link all the main maritime ports of France from Dunkirk to Menton. The schedule is as follows:

24 June - fleet assemble in Dunkirk
30 June - race village opens
1 July - prologue race followed by first official race
2 July - two courses off Dunkirk
3 July - first offshore race from Dunkirk to Dieppe
4 July - racing off Dunkirk
5 July - race to Honfleur
6 July - race to St Malo (at 164 miles, the longest leg of the race)
7-8 July - in St Malo
9 July - race to Paimpol
10 July - in Paimpol
11 July - race to Douarnenez (123 miles via Ushant)
12 July - arrive Dournenez
13 July - race to Crouesty
14 July - to Vannes
15 July - race to Les Sables d'Olonne (66 miles)
17 July - race to Royan
18-21 July - boats trucked to Saint-Cyprien
22 July - race to Sete
23 July - race to Hyères
24-25 July racing off Hyères
26 July - race to Sainte-Maxime
27 July - racing in Bay of St Tropez
28 July - race to Menton

In addition to this tour of the French coast, the organisers are planning a circuit for 2005 with an additional event in Pornichet on 12-15 May (prior to the Mumm 30 Worlds in La Trinite on 1-4 June). The season will be rounded off with another regatta in Bandol on 22-25 September. These three events are grouped into a single championship, the official Mumm 30 class circuit.

The extra events outside the Tour de France à la Voile will take place over four days and will comprise 10 to 12 races inclduing one 100 mile coastal course.

Aside from careful scrutineering and a close look at the ISAF classification of the crew. In the amateur class this time they are allowed just one ISAF class 2 or 3 crew.

In terms of safety, the Affaires Maritimes are renewing their partnership with the Tour de France à la Voile for the next three years, by assigning a launch to follow most of the event.

Media partners return in the form of Radio France's France Info and France Bleu. The scale of the audience of France Info will enable the necessary publicising of the event at a national scale. French TV station M6 has already confirmed a regularly daily slot about the race at 1850 GMT: to which Paris Première and Info Sport will be associated, along with other programs in the group’s chain.

BMW France is this time an official partner displaying several of its models at the stopovers.