The Tour Voile returns to its offshore roots in 2023 with the Figaro Beneteau 3 and an intense two-week fully crewed programme
Tour Voile, the iconic multidisciplinary annual race around France, is to return to offshore One Design keelboats in 2023 with an exciting new and more compact event format.
The racing format of the past few years, when the Tour Voile tried stadium-style racing with the Diam 24 OD trimaran, is over and the event owners - Amaury Sports Organisation (A.S.O.) - along with the French Sailing Federation (FFV), are pleased to announce a rejuvenated format incorporating a two-week long competition period in July for the next three years.
Since its first edition in the summer of 1978, the Tour Voile has been a magnificent racing pilgrimage along the phenomenal and varied French coastline. The true growth of offshore sailing in France can in part, be put down to this unique itinerant event which has introduced and nurtured thousands of people to the sport of offshore racing.
Over the past 40 years, many non-French teams have also competed with distinction. The event has attracted a myriad of Amateur, Student and Olympic sailors, along with America’s Cup, Grand Prix and Round the World teams.
Conceived for shorthanded offshore racing and in particular, the legendary singlehanded Solitaire du Figaro race, the 10-metre long (32 foot), powerful and modern, foil-assisted strictly One Design Figaro Beneteau 3 is perfectly suited for singlehanded, two-handed and fully-crewed racing. As the chosen class for the next three editions of the Tour Voile, there will be an emphasis on young people - amongst the crew of four at least half of the crew on board the Figaro Beneteau 3s shall be under 26 years of age when the event starts each year, and on mixed gender crews - at all times there shall be at least one women on board.
Teams also have the ability to change crew members as often as they choose throughout the event enabling experienced sailors to transmit and share their skills with newcomers and developing sailors.
The Tour Voile racing format will include inshore racing, coastal racing and overnight offshore racing.
Over the frst two weeks of July in 2023, teams should expect to line up on the start line on at least 20 occasions as they tackle the competition and progress from port to port. Starting in St Quay Portrieux on the North Brittany coast on 1st July the regatta will finish further south on the Atlantic seaboard a fortnight later.
The goal with this rejuvenated format is to bring a new generation of French and international sailors to discover offshore and coastal racing and enjoy the camaraderie and community associated with this 2-week itinerant event. This is not another first time event requiring new boats and an untried, untested format. This event aims to be an intelligent and cost-effective regatta making the most of an existing feet and regatta circuit, sharing event
organisers and mutualising logistics and technical support.
The 2023 Tour Voile build-up programme will see several fully-crewed Figaro Beneteau 3 Class starts at regattas in April (Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand-Ouest – La Trinité sur Mer) and May (ArMen Race – La Trinité sur Mer) as well as associated training clinics either side of these.
For more information on how to enter, how to train, how to get hold of a boat, etc.
contact:
Classe Figaro Beneteau
7 rue d’Estiennes d’Orves, 56100 Lorient, France
[email protected]
Tel: +33 (0)6 11 73 13 35
