All star cast (all star venue)


We all knew it would be good, but hosting the latest Yacht Racing Forum in Lorient – world capital of offshore sailing – was indeed a stroke of genius


With more than 450 delegates from all over the world gathering in Lorient, France, for two days of conferences, presentations and debates, the Yacht Racing Forum has confirmed that it is indeed the premier business-to-business platform for the sport of sailing. Sailing history oozes out of Lorient, where Eric Tabarly is feted as a hero of French sailing, alongside living legends such as Franck Cammas, Michel Desjoyeaux, Loick Peyron and Alain Gautier, many of whom were present at the Yacht Racing Forum. The conference brought together no less than 450 delegates, while the exhibition space included around 20 stands representing the most dynamic brands from around the world that are involved in competitive sailing. Three state-of-the-art yachts were also on display: the new Figaro Bénéteau 3, the 26ft one-design foiling catamaran Easy to Fly and the Volvo Ocean 65 AkzoNobel. Peyron shared his passion for cruising and racing at the Design and Technology Symposium on day one of the Forum. ‘When I’m racing, I’m dreaming about cruising. When I’m cruising, I don’t like to be inefficient,’ he explained. ‘That’s why many of our innovations from racing are useful for cruising.’


68 SEAHORSE


Technology trickledown was a big part of the discussion, with experts from some of the world’s most successful boatbuilders and sailmakers explaining the application of America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, Class Ultime and other cutting-edge Grand Priz innovations to the rest of the sailing scene.


The Design and Technology Symposium grew yet again from the previous year, with interest overflowing the room capacity of 150 people in one space. This popularity was due in a large part to the location of the event this year in Lorient, the heart of French offshore racing technology, but it also reflects the widespread appreciation for advances in all aspects of sailing yacht technology, coupled with strong interest in where technology is driving and the parameters that are driving it within the America’s Cup, Vendée Globe, Volvo Ocean Race and other elite racing events. The topics covered included yacht and foil design, sensing technologies and performance analyses, modern film-less sailmaking, advances in standing rigging and composite materials, new fabrication and sustainability technologies. Networking and the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the


Above: in his keynote speech at the Yacht Racing Forum, the Volvo Ocean Race and Olympic


veteran Chris Nicholson called upon World Sailing to embrace innovation. He also


praised the vibrant and healthy


professional racing scene in France and urged delegates to support Paralympic sailing as it battles to get back into the Paralympics


sport’s big decision-makers is another reason for large numbers attending the two-day Forum. The high point of the social calendar was the gala evening reception provided by North Sails and Bretagne Sailing Valley, at the spectacular waterside Cité de la Voile Eric Tabarly – an interactive museum entirely dedicated to sailing and yacht racing, unique in the world. The double Olympian and six-time Volvo Ocean Race veteran Chris Nicholson used his keynote speech to call on World Sailing to embrace innovation, and for the rest of the world to take notice of the vibrant and healthy professional racing scene in France. Nicholson also stressed the importance of supporting the Paralympic movement, deeply regretting the decisions taken recently. Charles Caudrelier, winning skipper of the Volvo Ocean Race and Bruno Dubois, former team manager of Dongfeng Race Team, explained the strength of the French system and laid out a blueprint that other countries could follow to emulate its success.


Whilst several sessions focused on the high end of the sport, this year’s Forum also gave a large amount of space to youth sailing,


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