The CIC Med Channel Race will set off from Marseille on Sunday, April 27. This race, exclusively reserved for Class40s, is a first in the Mediterranean. Twelve crews are expected to line up at the starting line to cover 1000 miles across the crystal-clear waters of the Grande Bleue.
For this first edition, competitors will set off from Marseilles and head for the Var islands, Calvi in Corsica, then skirt the east coast of Sardinia before leaving Palma de Majorca to starboard to return to the Marseilles starting point, a course that should offer plenty of twists and turns.
The CIC Med Channel Race will set off from Marseille on Sunday, April 27. This race, exclusively reserved for Class40s, is a first in the Mediterranean. Twelve crews are expected to line up at the starting line to cover 1000 miles across the crystal-clear waters of the Grande Bleue.
For this first edition, competitors will set off from Marseille and head for the Var islands, Calvi in Corsica, then skirt the east coast of Sardinia before leaving Palma de Majorca to starboard to return to the Marseille starting point, a course that should offer plenty of twists and turns.
Goulven Marie skipper of Class40 #98 Qwanza “It's a great opportunity, the course is very interesting and the pointus boats can get back on the frontrunners more easily in the Mediterranean.” Qwanza is in fact a Tyker 40 from 2010, on which modifications were made last year: “I changed the mast and took advantage of the opportunity to add some aft rake, to regain some of the balance we see on the scows.”
From April 23 to 27, the people of Marseilles will have the opportunity to meet the skippers, as the fleet will be welcomed from Wednesday April 23 at the Mucem dock. A village will be open to the public on the J4 esplanade.
Aurélien Ducroz will also be at the start of the CIC Med Channel Race. This will be his first race this year. “The aim is to get into the rhythm for the season,” he explains. For this season, the Crosscall skipper is taking on Jonathan Chodkiewiez as co-skipper. A duo who know each other well, who will have to face strong competition. “There are a lot of good boats at the start,” he says.
The Mediterranean Trophy is a circuit that appeals to him: "Initially, I was based in Lorient, but with the emergence of new races in the Mediterranean, we decided to come down to take part in this circuit. What's interesting here is that the performances are pretty close between all the boats. There are so many unpredictable things happening on the water that anything can happen."
Aurélien Ducroz will also be at the start of the CIC Med Channel Race. This will be his first race this year. “The aim is to get into the rhythm for the season,” he explains. For this season, the Crosscall skipper is taking on Jonathan Chodkiewiez as co-skipper. A duo who know each other well, who will have to face strong competition. “There are a lot of good boats at the start,” he says.
The Mediterranean Trophy is a circuit that appeals to him: "At first, I was based in Lorient, but with the emergence of new races in the Mediterranean, we decided to come down to take part in this circuit. What's interesting here is that the performances are pretty close between all the boats. There are so many unpredictable things happening on the water that anything can happen. "To bring the race to life for as many people as possible, from April 23 France 3 Télévisions will be broadcasting a daily minute on all France 3 Provences Alpes Côte d'Azur, Corsica and Languedoc-Roussillon stations. Follow-up will also be provided by La Provence and Ici en Provence, among others.
To mark the occasion, we interviewed two skippers who will be taking part in the Cic Med Channel Race, and here's what they had to say: “It's a great opportunity, the course is very interesting and the pointus boats can get back to the front of the race more easily in the Mediterranean,” says Goulven Marie, skipper of Qwanza. The skipper, who hails from Saint-Malo, was able to make a few modifications to his Class40. A strategic modification, which lightened the front of the boat and made it compatible with sail sets designed for scows, which is not insignificant when you're looking to optimize your budget with second-hand sails.
Aurélien Ducroz will start his 2025 season on the Cic Med Channel Race. “The aim is to get into a rhythm for the season,” he explains. For this season, the Crosscall skipper is taking on Jonathan Chodkiewiez as co-skipper, a choice that is in line with continuity, “Jonathan has been my préparateur since 2021, and he'll be by my side all season.” A duo who know each other well, who will have to face strong competition. “There are a lot of good boats at the start,” he says. At first, I was based in Lorient, but with the emergence of new races in the Mediterranean, we decided to come down to take part in this circuit. What's interesting here is that the performances are pretty close between all the boats. There are so many unpredictable things happening on the water that anything can happen."
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