First French Class 40 Yacht Enters Round Ireland Race

2nd June 2020

Antoine Magre's Palanad 3 from La Trinite sur Mer is the 43rd Round Ireland entry

Making good on last month's speculation by Afloat that the SSE Renewables Round Ireland Race postponement could play into the hands of the Irish offshore race with a larger than normal French presence this August, the first Class 40 entry has been received in Wicklow.

Antoine Magre's Palanad 3 from La Trinite sur Mer is the 43rd entry into the 700-mile race boosting hopes that the international Class 40 fleet will support the late summer fixture at Wicklow.

Magre is a former Class 40 winner of RORC's De Guingand Bowl Race.

It is understood the cancellation of Class 40s Transatlantic race due to COVID-19 in May has led the French sailors to look further afield for racing this year.

Class 40 is a type of monohull sailboat primarily used for short-handed offshore and coastal racing.

It may also well be that Round Ireland Race Organiser Kyran O'Grady's pioneering efforts at the Paris Boat Show last December may yet bear fruit with a bumper international Round Ireland fleet still in prospect.

Published in Class40, Round Ireland

Published in Class40

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About the Class 40

The Class40 is a kind of monohull sailboat primarily used for short-handed offshore and coastal racing. It is dedicated to offshore racing and has been around since 2004, serving as an intermediate oceanic boat between the Mini 650 (6.50m) and the 60-foot IMOCA (18.24m). The boat is strictly regulated, with a maximum length of 12.19 m. These boats are designed to sail in all weather conditions, and their performance has recently improved significantly. It is not uncommon to reach speeds of up to 26 knots (according to GPS), and planing up to 15 knots is normal.