Ireland’s Sole Class40 Racer Pamela Lee Hits Top Ten

6th December 2025

Afloat.ie Team

Ireland’s only Class40 sailor, Pamela Lee, seals a breakthrough season with tenth place overall and top female honours in a fiercely competitive international championship.

County Wicklow’s Pamela Lee, Ireland’s lone competitor in the Class40 fleet, has closed out her first full season with a top-ten finish.

Lee, now based in France, placed tenth overall in the 2025 Class40 championship, a season marked by 100 ranked projects and skippers from 10 nations.

The Greystones Harbour said she was “delighted” with the result, adding it was “a true testament to how the whole team worked together, on and off the water”. She thanked co-skipper Jay Thompson and called the outcome “a great encouragement for our future potential”.

Seafrigo-Sogestran duo Gildas Pirouelle and Corentin Château won the title. Fabien Delahaye took second and said the podium confirmed “consistency” with teammate Pierre Leboucher. Third-placed Guillaume L’Hostis said his result “validated all the work done this season”.

Designer Sam Manuard dominated the top end of the fleet with four boats in the top five. Rookie Benoit Sineau finished eighth and first amateur, while Leboucher was recognised as first crew member of the season.

Strong performances also came from the “pointed” Class40s. Belco CEC (#147), led by Louis Mayaud and Alexandre Bellangé, topped the category in 19th overall. Belgium Ocean Racing (#153) placed second, with Phénix Ha Plus Me (#142) third.

The Class40 circuit now turns to 2026, when solo racing is set to become the focus.

2025 Championship ranking :

G. Pirouelle & C. Château (Seafrigo-Sogestran)
Fabien Delahaye (Legallais)
Guillaume L’Hostis (Alternative Sailing – Constructions du Belon)
Quentin Le Nabour (Bleu Blanc Planète Location)
Thimoté Polet (Zeiss)
Corentin Douguet (Faites un don pour la SNSM)
W. Mathelin-Moreaux & P. Luciani (Les Invincibles)
Benoit Sineau (Ekinox)
Luca Rosetti (Maccaferri Futura)
Pamela Lee (#Empowher)

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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.