September 25 will mark the start of the first edition of the Med Max Occitanie – Saïdia Resorts, a unique offshore race linking Port-Camargue, in France, to the Marina de Saïdia, in Morocco.
Nearly 30 crews, including an all-female team, will compete aboard Class40s and Ocean Fifties, linking the French and Moroccan coasts. Co-founded and organized by sailor Kito de Pavant in partnership with Christophe Carniel, CEO of VOGO Sport, this race is distinguished by its course in the Mediterranean and its double-handed format. Seventeen crews in Class40s (12.19-meter monohulls) and ten in Ocean Fifties (15.24-meter multihulls) will start together, but will follow separate trajectories. The Class40s will cover around 1,000 miles, while the faster Ocean Fifties will cover nearly 1,500 miles, with an iconic stage around the island of Stromboli. The two fleets will meet at their common destination: the marina of Saïdia, where they are expected from October 4.
An event that celebrates the Mediterranean Union
Beyond the sporting challenge, the Med Max aims to bring together, every four years, sailing enthusiasts and celebrate the diversity of Mediterranean cultures. Designed by sailors, for sailors, it aims to connect the continents bordering the Mediterranean and to strengthen friendly, cultural and economic relations between the countries sharing this common sea. At a press conference in Casablanca at the beginning of the summer, Kito de Pavant, co-creator of the Med Max, revealed the details of this innovative competition.
He and his team highlighted the importance of building links between the peoples of the Mediterranean, while emphasizing their desire to make this race a springboard for new ideas around living together and protecting the environment, while respecting the age-old traditions of this unique sea. The Med Max promises a spectacular challenge: to connect the northern shore of the Mediterranean to its southern shore in five days of double-handed racing. This journey between two continents – Europe and Africa –, two countries – France and Morocco –, and two regions – Occitanie/Pyrénées-Méditerranée and Oriental –, will mark the link between Le Grau du Roi and Saïdia.
The Med Max Occitanie – Saïdia Resorts aims to be a real space for meetings and exchanges, a bridge between Europe and Africa, where the spirit of conviviality and sharing will unite with the sporting challenge. This exceptional nautical festival, to be experienced alone, with family and friends, will begin in Port-Camargue and continue in Saïdia, where a large audience will come to encourage the crews, from experienced professionals to novice enthusiasts, under the warm French and Moroccan hospitality. The winners will take home the Med Max trophy, a work by Jean Denant that symbolizes the “link between East and West”, according to the artist himself. The departure and arrival villages, in Port-Camargue and Saïdia, will offer entertainment and festivities open to the public: concerts, conferences, sailing initiations and much more. This unmissable event for sea lovers will take place from September 25 to October 6, 2024.
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