From July 20th to 25th, 2026, the Hoalen Brest Douarnenez Classic will make its grand return to the Finistère coast for its third edition, following the successes of 2023 and 2024. This prestigious regatta will bring together the most beautiful classic sailboats between the Brest harbor, the Iroise Sea, and Douarnenez Bay. This third edition will more than 20 competitors, a record number never before reached.
To remember
- Organizers : Kaori (Aber Wrac’h) and Sea To See (Douarnenez), historical players in offshore racing in Brittany.
- Three rankings : one for JCH Rule sailboats (built before 1969, ≥11m), one for Metric Rule sailboats (≥7m).
- Demanding course : regattas in Brest harbor, coastal course towards Douarnenez, and events in Douarnenez Bay.
- Invited audience : meetings with crews, entertainment, and immersion in the world of maritime festivals.
- Key dates : from July 20 to 25, 2026, with arrival in the heart of the Douarnenez Maritime Festival.
The most beautiful classic sailboats will therefore gather to race in the Breton waters for which they were designed, namely the waters of the Celtic Sea. Between Brest and Douarnenez, the competitors will sail in grandiose landscapes where cliffs, headlands, islands and changing lights mingle, making each day of racing a spectacle as sporty as visual.
Three rankings for greater diversity
The Hoalen Brest Douarnenez Classic 2026 was distinguished by the introduction of two classifications:
- JCH Gauge (Classic Handicap Gauge) : reserved for sailboats built before December 31, 1968, with a hull length of 11 meters or more. This rating system allows boats with very different characteristics to race together, compensating for performance differences through a calculated handicap system.
- Metric Gauge : open to keelboats and traditional one-design boats with a hull length of 7 meters or more. These sailboats, often from historical series, are appreciated for their elegance and technical features.
“The 2026 edition innovates with three separate rankingsallowing for an even more diverse fleet: JCH rating (sailboats built before 1969, ≥11m), Metric rating (≥7m), and a third classification for the smallest vessels.
“We opened the race to smaller units by offering 3 classifications. It’s a great opportunity to have such a diverse range of boats, from Fife designs to Jezequel designs.“Thank you to our partners for making this wonderful event possible for us at this 3rd edition.” Jacques Caraës
A sports and festive program
The program spans five days, with technical regattas, a competitive coastal course, and moments of sharing with the public.
Gwen Chapalain (Sea To See) : “We are very happy to relaunch this third edition of the Hoalen Brest Douarnenez Classic between the harbor of Brest, the Iroise sea and the bay of Douarnenez with our partners. One of the most beautiful bodies of water in the world is at the tip of Brittany! This allows us to organize this race with exceptional boats.
Hoalen Brest Douarnenez Classic 2026 Program
| Date | Event | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 20/07 | Welcome, training regatta, cocktail | Brest harbor |
| Tuesday 21/07 | Regattas in Brest harbor, free evening | Brest harbor |
| Wednesday 22/07 | Regattas in Brest harbor, prize-giving ceremony | Brest harbor |
| Thursday 23/07 | Coastal route Brest → Douarnenez | Iroise Sea |
| Friday 24/07 | Regattas in Douarnenez Bay, owners’ dinner | Douarnenez Bay |
| Saturday 25/07 | Regattas in Douarnenez Bay, prize-giving ceremony | Douarnenez Bay |
The arrival in Douarnenez coincides with the Maritime Festival, offering a unique spectacle to spectators.
The organizers: Kaori and Sea To See, committed stakeholders in maritime heritage
The organization is supported by two Breton structures:
- Kaori, based in Aber Wrac’h, specializing in nautical communication and event management.
- Sea To See, based in Douarnenez, expert in offshore race management. These two entities, with more than 27 years of experience, highlight the heritage and sporting dimension of the event, with the ambition of making it a benchmark in Brittany and on the Atlantic coast.
An unmissable event for enthusiasts
The Hoalen Brest Douarnenez Classic is part of a calendar rich in maritime events in Brittany. It offers a rare opportunity to admire exceptional sailing ships, meet their crews, and discover the skills involved in the restoration and sailing of these historic boats.
Brest, an important center for classic sailing
Since 2020, a new dynamic has gradually taken hold in the Finistère region, thanks in particular to the presence of three of the world’s most magnificent sailing ships, which have chosen Brest as their home port. These are the prestigious sailing ships:
- Moonbeam IV,
- Moonbeam
- Mariquita,
All these sailboats were designed in early 20th-century Scotland by the famous naval architect of that era, William Fife.
The HOALEN BREST DOUARNENEZ CLASSIC is unique in that it allows a new economic sector to develop by rediscovering traditional skills (sail design, rigging components). It is also the sporting commitment of the crews, their camaraderie, and the pleasure the more experienced sailors take in sharing their knowledge with the younger generation that makes it so special; a beautiful story of knowledge transfer is unfolding. It reflects the solidarity of the region and its businesses, which are always committed to promoting Finistère and Brittany.
The arrival of these exceptional sailing ships has indeed allowed fto train young sailors in the highly demanding navigation required by these period boatsSailing on these classic vessels requires a thorough knowledge of traditional navigation techniques, as well as a mastery of the intricacies of these historic boats. Young sailing enthusiasts now have a unique opportunity to learn this demanding art, while benefiting from the expertise of seasoned sailors who have preserved this knowledge over the years.
This dynamic has fostered the revival of traditional skills, creating new job opportunities in the sailmaking and shipbuilding sectors, and offering specialized training to passionate young sailors; this new economic sector has brought a breath of fresh air and development to the Finistère region.
Brest Finistère Classic, a race with high ambitions
The race is being organized by two companies with over 25 years of experience in offshore racing, both deeply committed to the heritage aspect of their work: KAORI, based in Aber Wrac’h near Brest, and SEA TO SEE, based in Douarnenez. Led by Jacques and Laurence Caraës and Gwen Chapalain, the two entities are joining forces to organize this event, a first on the French Atlantic coast, in Finistère, the most maritime department in France with its 2,263 kilometers of coastline.
The organizers and all their partners aim to make this a top-level, friendly, and benchmark sporting event for classic sailboats, right on the tip of Brittany. With regattas in the Brest roadstead, in Douarnenez Bay, and including a passage through the Iroise Sea and past the Tas de Pois rocks, the HOALEN BREST DOUARNENEZ CLASSIC will once again offer an incredible spectacle for sailors and holidaymakers alike.