The awards ceremony held this Sunday, September 22, marked the official close of the 15th edition of the CIC Normandy Channel Race. An edition that, for the first time, crowned a Norman sailor as the winner of this great local classic. Indeed, Fabien Delahaye and Benjamin Schwartz, aboard the Class40 Legallais, have inscribed their names on the trophy alongside all the champions since the event’s creation in 2010. This 2024 edition lived up to the event’s reputation—sporting, media, and public alike. A successful anniversary edition, by all accounts.
A Thrilling Sporting Scenario
On Sunday, September 15, twenty-five Class40s and fifty sailors set off for the CIC Normandy Channel Race 2024—the highest participation rate of the year in this class. Quantity did not come at the expense of quality, with an incredibly high-level field on the starting line. Under summery weather, the skippers’ fighting spirit remained undiminished, and from the first cannon blast, the show was on.
Thomas and Raphaël Lurton, newcomers to the race aboard the oldest Class40 in the fleet (Ose Ta Victoire, hull #100), weren’t intimidated, crossing the start line first with a daring port tack while the rest of the fleet went starboard. Soon after, local sailors from the Baie de Seine, Guillaume Pirouelle and Cédric Château aboard Sogestran – Seafrigo (#197), took the lead on the spectacular opening leg. They held onto the lead through the first part of the course down to southern England and the tip of Cornwall.
In unusually light conditions for the race, it was the duo from Le Havre who animated the early stages. From the Saint-Marcouf Islands to Land’s End, via the Solent and the Isle of Wight, they rounded every mandatory mark in the lead, making smart strategic choices and hitting every timing window perfectly.
But as they began the climb toward the Celtic Sea, they eventually ceded their lead. Legallais (#199) then took charge, reaching the legendary Tuskar Rock in 2 days, 9 hours, 0 minutes, and 5 seconds. Taking advantage of favorable downwind conditions, Groupe SNEF (#178) moved into the lead in a fierce gybing duel up to the mythical Fastnet Rock.
Only after passing Wolf Rock on the return leg did the race shift dramatically. The fleet was battered in the English Channel by a brutal northeast wind of 20–25 knots, with gusts up to 30 knots, all in a choppy sea made worse by spring tides. In these tough conditions, it was only at the treacherous Barfleur point that Legallais (#199) finally broke away toward a victorious tack all the way to the finish line.
Pointed Bows: A Thrilling Race Within the Race
In this extremely tight and uncertain regatta, a secondary battle raged. For the first time, the CIC Normandy Channel Race introduced a dedicated ranking for Class40s with pointed bows. Battling among the modern scows, Trim Control (#115) and Free Dom (#139) fought a true mano a mano until southern Ireland. Similarly, Belco CEC (#147) and esatco (#141) engaged in a five-day-long match racing duel.
These intense, close-quarters duels were stimulating for the skippers and exciting for the public, demonstrating that the pointed bow ranking is far from trivial—it holds true sporting value in the eyes of the competitors. Ultimately, Alexandre Le Gallais and Henri De Mallet, aboard Trim Control (#115), took the top spot in this category—a well-deserved result for a team that led from start to finish with clean, consistent sailing among the latest-generation scows.
A Media and Public Success
With exceptional media coverage for an event exclusively dedicated to Class40s, the CIC Normandy Channel Race further solidified its status as a unique fixture in the offshore racing calendar. First, with a one-hour live start broadcast on the national channel La Chaîne L’Équipe, thanks to CIC’s support, and also on France 3 Normandie numérique. Short daily features were also broadcast on both channels.
On the radio side, France Bleu Normandie kept its listeners connected to the race with various programs throughout the two-week event. Ouest-France also provided daily coverage of this major Norman classic.
The race village welcomed a large number of visitors from Caen, who enjoyed the many activities offered, including the CIC Paddle Base. Nearly 500 schoolchildren visited the Vendeuvre dock the day before the village officially opened—a cherished moment of exchange between children and skippers.
The CIC Normandy Channel Race has become a benchmark event. This recognition is due to the many ingredients that make it so special: a demanding course, international-level competition, thrilling race scenarios, the unique Class40 spirit, major media coverage, and loyal partners. It’s a winning formula that draws offshore sailing specialists back to the English Channel and Celtic Sea year after year—and bolsters the prestige of those who claim victory on Norman soil.
Bring on May 2025!
Share this article:
