F18 Raid Worlds Costarmoricaine | Regatta | Multihulls World

Discover our full article in Multihulls World N°204. This classic event has been running for 30 years now, offering a rally-raid type regatta in northern Brittany. This year, the vent based at Erquy will serve as the world championship for catamaran raids. Which classes are accepted? F18 (21 registered) and Viper (4 registered). The appeal of the Costarmoricaine, apart from its magnificent and technical courses, is that it brings together pure amateurs, Olympic-level sailors, and big names in offshore racing such as Charles Caudrelier for the 2025 edition. Although the crews are mainly French, the event can still be considered international, with four British pairs, three Belgian pairs and one Austrian pair taking part. Brieuc Maisonneuve, our reporter on the scene, was surprised by the performance of the F18s: “I took part in an F18 raid in 2013, and I reckon they’ve gained 30% in speed, even though the ratings haven’t changed much. What’s interesting about the fleet, which is not a one-design class, is the diversity of manufacturers – there are five: Cirrus, Akurra, Nacra, Edge, and Exploder. This year, the competitors enjoyed fairly mild summer conditions – moderate winds and calm seas. On the fifth and final day of the rally, the fleet sailed to Cap Fréhel, which is where the final results, which are based on cumulative time, would be decided – capsizing has to be avoided at all costs!”