On the market: sail racing moves #33

[DEPARTURES & NOMINATIONS]

• GWÉNOLÉ GAHINET will be the co-skipper with François Gabart on board the Ultime Macif on the  Brest Atlantique race. The mediaman on board will be Jérémie Eloy.
• The 12 SKIPPERS for the Internationaux de France of match-racing in Pornichet have been unveiled on Monday.
• STAN THURET takes over from Clarisse Crémer on the helm of the Figaro 3 Everial for the Douarnenez Courses Solo Gijon and the Tour de Bretagne.
• JEAN-BAPTISTE-BERNAZ (Laser) has been announced on the list of French sailors for the test-event between 15 and 22 August raced in the Olympic waters of the Olympics 2020 in Enoshima (Japan).
• The composition of the jury for the MIRABAUD YACHT RACING IMAGE has been unveiled.
• WILL HARRIS will team up with Boris Herrmann aboard Malizia on the Rolex Fastnet Race.

• GUNBOAT are looking for a production/process engineer also a designer/modeller for the build of the Gunboat 68 and their future projects, permanent posts based in La Grande Motte.
• MERCONCEPT are looking for a mechanical engineer ideally with a level of experience in systems and a significant level of experience for a new IMOCA project, the post is bases in Port-la-Forêt.
• A+T are seeking a sales manager, full-time job located in in Lymington, UK (via EuroSail News).

[ANNOUNCEMENTS & PARTNERSHIPS]

• VINCENT RIOU is the guest of the 7th episode of INTO THE WIND, the podcast of Tip & Shaft (in French). You can find Into The Wind on all platforms: iTunes, Deezer, Spotify, SoundClound…
• The second edition of TIP & SHAFT/CONNECT PARIS will take place on Tuesday 17th September at the Théâtre de la Tour Eiffel (in the same place as the press conference for the Transat Jacques Vabre, scheduled for 5 p.m.), around the question of who is becoming increasingly important in sail racing: Does sustainable development offer leverage for sponsorships in sailing? Coffee to welcome you from 9 a.m., conference from 10.30 to 1 p.m. with a cocktail to follow. You can already reserve your place.
• The WORLD MATCH RACING TOUR has had its status as a ‘special event’ renewed by World Sailing through until 2028.
• The first AMERICA’S CUP WORLD SERIES will be run from 23 to the 26 April 2020 in Cagliari (Sardinia). An announcement was made  this week inNewport at an event organised by Prada, during which partnerships with NORTH SAILS (clothing) for 36th America’s Cup and with UNESCO for the Prada Cup were announced.
• CHARLESTON has been officially confirmed as the finish port of The Transat 2020.
• The TRANSAT JACQUES VABRE 2019 will welcome 67 duos, 34 in Imoca (a record), 29 in Class40 and 4 in the Multi50.
• The FFVOILE have renewed their partnership with Virtual Regatta and have announced a Trophée national which will see the 12 top Frençh compete on the 13th December.
• MERCONCEPT and FORA MARINE, who build the RM sailing boats, have signed a cooperation agreement which will see the two companies collaborate on the development of a new boat for Fora Marine, the RM1180.
• BENETEAU have renewed their partnership with the Yacht Racing Forum for the 2019 edition which runs from the 25 to the 26 November in Bilbao.
• The GRAND PRIX PACIFIQUE DES JEUX has set its entry fees for the 2019 edition (7-21 November), at 26 500 to 21 500 euros, which includes flights, shipping and/or charter of a Diam 24 there, accommodation on a catamaran, meals and transfers.
• This week the INTERNATIONAL FINN ASSOCIATION announced their intention to submit a submission to the next Annual Conference of World Sailing in Bermuda to reintroduce a heavyweight single handed dinghy event into the Olympic programme of Paris 2024, at the same time recommending an all-male kite event (instead of mixed relay) and that the 470 is 100% female (rather than mixed).

[LAUNCHES]

• WORLD SAILING launched a call for applications to participate in the tests to choose the Olympic class board for the Olympic Games of  2024. This process follows the rejection of the RS:X proposal at the Mid-Year Meeting in London last May;
• The FFVOILE has launched a call for applications from duos and interested parties who would want to compete for France in the first European Offshore Championship for mixed duos (see our recent piece), which will be held from October 8 to 11 in Venice in the L30 over 48 hours. The notice of race was unveiled this week by Eurosaf, the European federation. This championship will take place during the Nastro Rosa, a new tour of Italy to be raced in the Diam 24 and also L30.

Photo: Macif