Sailing World on Water Le Defi Azumit Start ENGLISH Report #1 Great IMOCA Foiling Action

It’s full house… The pontoons of Lorient – La Base are a hive of activity this Tuesday 8 September, on the eve of the start of the Défi Azimut. “All eyes will be on this event. Weather conditions are not forecast to be rough so it’ll be more a case of gently getting into the swing of things!” admits Gildas Morvan, Race Director for this tenth Défi Azimut. 19 skippers have stepped up to the plate and are preparing to get down to business in a dream setting with a varied programme comprising speed runs and a 500-mile solo passage, rounding off with a lap of the Ile de Groix… An Indian summer. Glorious sunshine, a reasonable N’ly wind fuelled by a zone of high-pressure settled in nicely offshore of the Azores… Lorient-La base is witnessing a magical start to September. “The 10th edition should enjoy some wonderful light with some hotly-contested races and plenty of tactics and strategy for all the skippers.” Gildas Morvan (22 Solitaire du Figaros to his credit) has taken the reins this year as Race Director of the Défi Azimut, with full knowledge of the facts: “It’s everything I love. Drawing up a course with the skippers, listening to them, sorting out the on-the-water logistics and ensuring that the Défi Azimut is a fabulous prelude to the Vendée Globe.”