There CIC Normandy Channel Race, a legendary race reserved for Class40, began its 17th edition with a start given on Sunday at 2 p.m. from the bay of Caen-OuistrehamThis competition, which mixes sports performance, maritime strategy And historical emotionhas once again proven its appeal to sailing and adventure enthusiasts. Between the lightning-fast crossing of the English Channel, the challenges of the Solent, and the symbolic passage past the D-Day landing beaches, this 2026 edition is already shaping up to be full of surprises.
To remember
- 22 Class40 at the start of the 17th edition of the CIC Normandy Channel Race from the bay of Caen-Ouistreham.
- Departure Sunday at 2 p.m., with the first mark in the archipelago of Saint-Marcouf (Cotentin).
- Crossing the English Channel : 60 miles traveled in 5 hours for the first ones, arriving at the east entrance of the Solent (Isle of Wight) at 3:15 am.
- Strong emotions : passage in front of the D-Day landing beaches, a few days before the commemorations of June 6th.
- Major challenges : opposing current, sandbanks and unlit buoys in the Solent, an area dreaded by crews.
- Next step : descent towards Land’s End (Cornwall) with a wind of 20 knots.
A spectacular departure under the Normandy sky
The 17th edition of the CIC Normandy Channel Race was launched Sunday afternoon from the bay of Caen-Ouistreham, under a sky with impressionistic hues. The 22 Class40 the volunteers headed towards the archipelago of Saint-Marcouf, at the foot of the Cotentin peninsula, the first mark of the course. The crews reached this area around 8:45 PM, with Quentin le Nabour and Thierry Chabagny (BLEU BLANC PLANÈTE LOCATION) in the lead, closely followed by SOGESTRAN – SEAFRIGO And LEGALLAIS.
The race then followed the east coast of the Cotentin peninsula, with a symbolic passage in front of the… D-Day landing beaches, a few days before the commemorations of 82nd anniversary of June 6, 1944The American crew of SWIFT, composed of Greg Leonard and his son Hannes (7 participations in the race), did not fail to emphasize the emotion of this moment:
“It was a spectacular sail off the D-Day beaches. Impossible to imagine how different everything was 82 years ago, and the courage that was displayed. Very humbling.”
Crossing the English Channel: a lightning-fast passage
Nightfall marked the beginning of the first crossing of the English Channel, a passage that is always delicate because of the commercial maritime traffic, even outside of official traffic separation schemes. Despite these constraints, the first Class40s covered the 60 miles in only 5 hoursarriving at the east entrance of the Solent (Isle of Wight) towards 3:15.
The Solent: a trap for crews
THE Solentrenowned for its opposing currents, his sandbanks and his unlit buoys, is one of the most dreaded sections of the race. The leading boats, having arrived with the current, found themselves facing a opposite current of the 8:30, near the western exit of Needles.
- Leading group : LEGALLAIS in first position, followed by SOGESTRAN – SEAFRIGO. BLEU BLANC PLANET RENTAL opted for a route further south.
- Second group : a few miles back in the western branch of the Solent, already struggling against the current and the wind.
- Third group : still stuck near Cowes, with even more complex conditions for getting out of this mythical zone.
Next stop: Land’s End
Once they have crossed the Solent, the crews will have to sail down the southwest coast of England, with a 20 knot wind announced. The arrival near Land’s End (Cornwall) is planned tomorrow morning.
Why is this race so special?
There CIC Normandy Channel Race is much more than just a race in Class40 It is a tribute to history, a human adventure, and a technical challenge. Between emotion (passing by the D-Day landing beaches) strategy (current and wind management) and performance (express crossing of the English Channel), this 2026 edition promises even more great surprises.