“It’s quite a human adventure, united, in addition to being a competition,” begins Marc Jégou. The president of the Morlaix Yacht Club speaks of a “unique experience where all borders are broken”. “We’re all in this together, period. If a crew gets into trouble, others will come to their aid very quickly. It’s quite a spirit. Sailing teaches you to be humble. To care about others. The particularity of this race is also that the first stage, at night, leaves French territorial waters very quickly,” he explains.
The curious can stand at the tip of Pen al Lann, in Carantec, to see the boats passing up close.
Passage through Guernsey, Perros-Guirec and arrival in Roscoff
And indeed: the first stage, which will leave on Wednesday May 8, 2024 from Morlaix, will end the next day with the arrival of the boats, most of them in the morning, at the port of Guernsey. Upstream, from May 5 to 8, the reception of the boats and the confirmation of registrations will be held in Morlaix. The day before departure, May 7, time for the “crew evening”.
The boats, divided into three categories (or “rating”) for three slightly delayed race starts in order to have “fair results” in the final, will leave between 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on May 8 and will then pass between the Louët Island and Taureau Castle. The passage of the locks will begin around 4:30 p.m. “The curious can station themselves at the tip of Pen al Lann, in Carantec, to see the boats passing as closely as possible,” explains Marc Jégou.
May 10 is an “off” day: a crab party will be organized on the pontoons of Guernsey with the prize giving of the first stage in the evening by the authorities of the Channel Island, at the Castle Cornet. The second stage will take place on May 11 from Guernsey to Perros-Guirec, with the prize giving ceremony for this new stage in the evening. Finally, the last stage will depart from Perros-Guirec for an arrival scheduled in Roscoff on May 12 and a trophy presentation scheduled around 6:30 p.m.
“A real osmosis is created”
On the Anglo-Norman island of Guernsey, Marc Jégou speaks of a “very special, very friendly atmosphere”: “At the arrival of the first stage there is a real excitement, the locals and the participants mingle very easily between them. On the pontoons, people chat, people marvel, we introduce some people to sailing. This atmosphere is felt very strongly at the end of the race where it is not uncommon to observe participants who did not know each other at the start finishing on each other’s boats. An osmosis is created. »
It is thought that the race will bring together around 70 boats, which represents 350 to 400 people.
“We have all the English culture on our doorstep like with these typical little cottages. We find ourselves in a world totally different from what we know in France from an architectural point of view. And if the port of Morlaix is in the town, the port of Guernsey is barely at the foot of the church…, he adds. Anyone can participate in the race! One of the conditions is to have at least two people per habitable cruiser to form a crew. »
“We think that the race will bring together around 70 boats, which represents 350 to 400 people. To participate, you need to count on average €350 per crew,” concludes the president of the Morlais yacht club.
Practical
Contact: tel. 02 98 88 38 00. No deadline to register before the competition. To register, go to the website yc-morlaix.com.
