Ireland or the Mediterranean: Two Races, One Class40 Weekend

The "northerners" will be the first into action on Saturday at 1:00 pm, setting off on the Round Ireland Yacht Race, a 704-nautical-mile clockwise circumnavigation of Ireland.

Warmly welcomed in Wicklow by local offshore sailor Pamela Lee (#Empower), eight crews are ready to take on a race that promises to be as demanding as it is spectacular. Towering cliffs, legendary headlands and breathtaking scenery await around the Emerald Isle, providing a backdrop worthy of the challenge.

"As an Irish sailor, this race obviously means a great deal to me," says Pamela Lee. "I grew up sailing here in Wicklow, at a small club with a truly unique atmosphere. The local community is thrilled to welcome the Class40 fleet and very excited to discover our boats. Racing around an entire country is already something special, but here the constantly changing weather makes it even more challenging, while the scenery—especially along the west coast—is simply incredible. And honestly, racing as a crew in the middle of a predominantly single-handed season is fantastic for morale and team spirit!"

The fleet itself reflects the international spirit of the Class40, with eight nationalities represented. And, as the cherry on top, 11 women will be racing, including two 100% female crews: Magenta, skippered by Djemila Tassin, and ODD5, skippered by Sophie Delannoy.

The scenery may be spectacular, but the 31 sailors competing in this Round Ireland Race can expect little respite. Ever-changing weather, powerful tidal streams, Atlantic swell and the strategic rounding of Malin Head will ensure the race remains both physically demanding and tactically intense from start to finish.

A complete change of scenery as the focus shifts to the Mediterranean for the Massilia Cup Offshore – Barcelona Trophy, which gets underway on Sunday at 3:00 pm.

Once again, eight double-handed Class40 crews will line up for a 560-nautical-mile round trip between Marseille and Barcelona, with a well-earned tapas stop in the heart of the Catalan capital.

All the leading contenders in the Mediterranean Trophy series will be on the start line for this fifth event of the season. With four races already completed, the fleet is now finely tuned, and the consistently narrow margins promise another thrilling battle all the way to the finish.

Louis Torreilles, co-skipper alongside Swiss skipper Omar Nass aboard Stella Nova (No. 134), is clear about his ambitions:

"We've finished third and then second in our last two races, so we'd love to keep that momentum going 😉. And of course, if we can finish first this time, that would be even better! We'll stick to the same recipe: focus on ourselves, on boat speed, our routing and the weather, rather than worrying too much about what the others are doing... although, to be honest, we'd love to beat them!"

This weekend's menu features the Gulf of Lion, where the Mistral, Tramontane and steep Mediterranean seas could quickly shake up the standings, before the always tactical rounding of Cape Creus.