Race Map ©Olay Nautic. All Rights Reserved.
The Istanbul Europa Race will start on August 28, from the host city, Istanbul. This will be the biggest sail race of Europe. The IMOCA Open 60 boats ( 60ft long /18 meters) will be crewed by a team of 4 and some of the world's most accomplished yacht skippers. The Istanbul Europa Race is a brand new race event!
It is broken in to several stages across Europe:
Stage 1 : (Istanbul, Turkey - Nice, Southern France) Distance: 1,450 nm
« Bosphorus Trophy » Friday, August 28, 2009
• Start : Saturday, August 29, 2009
• Finish : Saturday, September 05, 2009
The race will begin in Istanbul, the start signal to be given from the world famous Topkapi Palace which overlooks the Bosphorus. The first stage will finish on September 5th in Nice, France.
Stage 2 : ( Nice, Southern France - Barcelona, Spain)Distance: 520 nm
« Nice Trophy » Monday, September 07, 2009
• Start : Tuesday, September 08, 2009
• Finish : Thursday, September 10, 2009
Inshore race will be held on September 7th in Nice and the start signal of the second stage will be given on September 8th.
Stage 3 : ( Barcelona, Spain - Brest, Northern France)Distance:1900 nm
« Barcelona trophy » Saturday, September 12, 2009
• Start : Monday, September 14, 2009
• Finish : Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Following the inshore race on September 12th , the start signal will be given from Barcelona for the longest stage on September 14th. It will last for 9 days and finish will be on September 23rd, in Brest, France.
After the Brest inshore race on September 26th, « Brest Trophy » Saturday, September 26, 2009, the winner of ISTANBUL EUROPA RACE will be declared.
What makes this race even more enthralling is the sailing pedigree of the skippers involved. We have listed the sailing achievements of three of the team's skippers ( see below) and as you can see it makes awesome reading. The sheer number of nautical miles covered is incredible, let alone the success that these brilliant sailors have achieved. Michael Desjoyeaux, Jean-Pierre Dick, and Roland Jourdain are three of France's all time greats. They will be pitted against eachother in an amazing race that will take them a large way around the mainland of the European continent. It will be a fierce competition! And it will be the very first race of its kind where the yachtsmen will sail along the Mediterranean, Atlantic and English Channel coasts.
Roland Jourdain on the CanYouSee.com website says:
“The course is extremely interesting and far from simple; and to top it all off, I have never been to Istanbul,” says Roland Jourdain. “I’m really pleased that this tour is finally taking place. The fact of racing it with a crew means that we will be able to push our boats to their full potential at all times. So, it will be possible to compare the potential of our respective yachts. It is also the type of race that will hold lots of surprises. Between the Mediterranean and its changes between light and heavy winds… squeezing past Gibraltar, between cargo ships and the nets to avoid along the coast, sailing on the wind up the Atlantic that is often so painful… The course is well-rounded and will not be short on excitement, that’s for sure!” © 2008 Veolia Environnement
Unless you look at these skippers in detail it is hard to appreciate their incredible sailing pedigree. They truly are France's sailing heroes.
Watching this race to see who will be triumphant will be fascinating, we can't wait!
Below we have the sailing achievements of just three of the skippers:
Team Foncia, Skipper: Michel Desjoyeaux
2009: Winner of the Vendee Globe 2008/09 (Foncia)
Bol d'Or Mirabaud 2009: 1st on the D35 FONCIA with Alain Gautier
2008 :Record of the 5th SNSM (Foncia)
Abandoned on the Artemis Transat (Foncia)
2007: 3rd in the Transat Ecover B to B (Foncia)
Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2007 (Foncia)
Winner de la Solitaire Le Figaro Afflelou 2007 (Foncia)
Winner of Record SNSM (Foncia)
2006:4th in the Route du Rhum 2006
2nd of 60 MultiCup
3rd Grand Prix Fécamp
3rd Grand Prix Portimao
2nd Grand Prix de Marseille
2nd Grand Prix Trapani
2nd Trophée du Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes
3rd London-Alpes Maritimes
2005:3rd in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with Hugues Destremau)
2nd La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro
4th Grand Prix de Corse
3rd Grand Prix de Marseille Métropole
3rd Grand Prix de Galicia
2004:Winner of The Transat
2nd ORMA Championship
3rd of Québec - Saint Malo
4th Grand Prix de Marseille
6th Grand Prix de Corse
4th Grand Prix Fécamp
2003 :2nd ORMA Championship
2nd Grand Prix Cap L'Orient
4th Grand Prix of Italy - Cagliari
3rd Grand Prix de Marseille Métropole
3rd Grand Prix du Port Fécamp
Bol d'Or Mirabaud 2009: 1st on the D35 FONCIA with Alain Gautier
2008 :Record of the 5th SNSM (Foncia)
Abandoned on the Artemis Transat (Foncia)
2007: 3rd in the Transat Ecover B to B (Foncia)
Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre 2007 (Foncia)
Winner de la Solitaire Le Figaro Afflelou 2007 (Foncia)
Winner of Record SNSM (Foncia)
2006:4th in the Route du Rhum 2006
2nd of 60 MultiCup
3rd Grand Prix Fécamp
3rd Grand Prix Portimao
2nd Grand Prix de Marseille
2nd Grand Prix Trapani
2nd Trophée du Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes
3rd London-Alpes Maritimes
2005:3rd in the Transat Jacques Vabre (with Hugues Destremau)
2nd La Solitaire Afflelou Le Figaro
4th Grand Prix de Corse
3rd Grand Prix de Marseille Métropole
3rd Grand Prix de Galicia
2004:Winner of The Transat
2nd ORMA Championship
3rd of Québec - Saint Malo
4th Grand Prix de Marseille
6th Grand Prix de Corse
4th Grand Prix Fécamp
2003 :2nd ORMA Championship
2nd Grand Prix Cap L'Orient
4th Grand Prix of Italy - Cagliari
3rd Grand Prix de Marseille Métropole
3rd Grand Prix du Port Fécamp
4th in the Challenge Mondial Assistance (Cherbourg-Rimini)
4th in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Le Havre - Salvador de Bahia) with Hervé Jan
2002:Winner of the Route du Rhum multihull aboard Giant in 13 days 7 hours 53 minutes
2001:Winner of the Vendée Globe on board the monohull 60 'PRB in 93 days 3 hours 57 minutes
Co-author of "L'enfant de la Vallée des Fous" (Ed. Gallimard)
Sailor of the Year FFVoile
1998:Transat AG2R on Groupama with Franck Cammas (winner of the first stage)
Winner de la Solitaire du Figaro on TBS, the Solo Porquerolles Mediterranean, the Dunes de Flandre Solo, the Solo CGMer Port-la-Vie
Champion de France Solitaire Living
1997:Vice-Champion of France Solitaire Living
1996:4th in the Transat AG2R with Roland Jourdain
2nd of the Solitaire du Figaro on TBS
Champion de France Solitaire Living on TBS
1995:Skipper Figaro Solo GER: winner of a stage of the Solitaire du Figaro
4th in the Transat Jacques Vabre (Le Havre - Salvador de Bahia) with Hervé Jan
2002:Winner of the Route du Rhum multihull aboard Giant in 13 days 7 hours 53 minutes
2001:Winner of the Vendée Globe on board the monohull 60 'PRB in 93 days 3 hours 57 minutes
Co-author of "L'enfant de la Vallée des Fous" (Ed. Gallimard)
Sailor of the Year FFVoile
1998:Transat AG2R on Groupama with Franck Cammas (winner of the first stage)
Winner de la Solitaire du Figaro on TBS, the Solo Porquerolles Mediterranean, the Dunes de Flandre Solo, the Solo CGMer Port-la-Vie
Champion de France Solitaire Living
1997:Vice-Champion of France Solitaire Living
1996:4th in the Transat AG2R with Roland Jourdain
2nd of the Solitaire du Figaro on TBS
Champion de France Solitaire Living on TBS
1995:Skipper Figaro Solo GER: winner of a stage of the Solitaire du Figaro
Vice-Champion of France in crew
1994:Winner of the Trophy on Fujicolor Multihulls
Test pilot on the Hydroptère
1993:Season aboard the Maxi Yacht La Poste. Shift manager for Whitbread
1992:Winner de la Solitaire du Figaro
Winner of the Transat AG2R (Lorient - Saint-Barthélemy) with Jacques Caraes - Figaro
Winner of National Figaro Solo
1991:Winner of the second stage of the Transat 6.50
2nd of the Solitaire du Figaro
1990:Winner of Twostar (double deck) aboard Elf Aquitaine III skippered by Jean Maurel
4th of the Solitaire du Figaro (1st rookie)
1989:Tactician on board Cantreau Biscuits, 40-foot trimaran: Wins the Grand Prix of Porto Fino (Italy) and Morges (Switzerland)
Winner of the selection Skipper Elf Aquitaine
1987:Tactician on board CDK Competition, 40-foot trimaran, skippered by Roland Jourdain: 3rd in World Championship of Formula 40
1985-1986:Tour de France à la Voile, 3 stage wins
Crew on Côte d'Or, maxi-monohull skippered by Eric Tabarly for Whitbread
Crédit Agricole on Equipier II maxi-catamaran skippered by Philippe Jeantot: Winner of Race of Europe
1994:Winner of the Trophy on Fujicolor Multihulls
Test pilot on the Hydroptère
1993:Season aboard the Maxi Yacht La Poste. Shift manager for Whitbread
1992:Winner de la Solitaire du Figaro
Winner of the Transat AG2R (Lorient - Saint-Barthélemy) with Jacques Caraes - Figaro
Winner of National Figaro Solo
1991:Winner of the second stage of the Transat 6.50
2nd of the Solitaire du Figaro
1990:Winner of Twostar (double deck) aboard Elf Aquitaine III skippered by Jean Maurel
4th of the Solitaire du Figaro (1st rookie)
1989:Tactician on board Cantreau Biscuits, 40-foot trimaran: Wins the Grand Prix of Porto Fino (Italy) and Morges (Switzerland)
Winner of the selection Skipper Elf Aquitaine
1987:Tactician on board CDK Competition, 40-foot trimaran, skippered by Roland Jourdain: 3rd in World Championship of Formula 40
1985-1986:Tour de France à la Voile, 3 stage wins
Crew on Côte d'Or, maxi-monohull skippered by Eric Tabarly for Whitbread
Crédit Agricole on Equipier II maxi-catamaran skippered by Philippe Jeantot: Winner of Race of Europe
Copyright ©GROUPE FONCIA All Rights Reserved. Information taken from http://www.teamfoncia.com/
Team Paprec-Vibrac, Skipper: Jean-Pierre Dick
2007-08
Winner of the Barcelona World Race
2006
3rd of Route du Rhum
Season Figaro: Transat AG2R, Solo Méditerrannée, Solitaire du Figaro
2005
6th Vendée Globe
3rd in the Calais Round Britain Race
SNSM Trophy winner in 60-foot monohull
2nd in the Fastnet Race monohull in 60 feet
Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre
Winner of the National 7.50 in La Trinité / Mer
2004
3rd 1000 Milles de Calais
The Transat: abandonment of 360 °
7 November: departure of the Vendée Globe
2003
Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre
Atlantic Challenge: dismasting then back in gear fortune (40 days at sea instead of 20!)
2002
2nd Grand Prix Larmor
3rd Grand Prix Marseille
1st Giraglia Rollers cup in 60 feet open
2001
Winner Tour de France à la Voile
Also: -six successes in the Spi Ouest France (89, 92, 94, 95, 2001, 2002). -
2007-08
Winner of the Barcelona World Race
2006
3rd of Route du Rhum
Season Figaro: Transat AG2R, Solo Méditerrannée, Solitaire du Figaro
2005
6th Vendée Globe
3rd in the Calais Round Britain Race
SNSM Trophy winner in 60-foot monohull
2nd in the Fastnet Race monohull in 60 feet
Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre
Winner of the National 7.50 in La Trinité / Mer
2004
3rd 1000 Milles de Calais
The Transat: abandonment of 360 °
7 November: departure of the Vendée Globe
2003
Winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre
Atlantic Challenge: dismasting then back in gear fortune (40 days at sea instead of 20!)
2002
2nd Grand Prix Larmor
3rd Grand Prix Marseille
1st Giraglia Rollers cup in 60 feet open
2001
Winner Tour de France à la Voile
Also: -six successes in the Spi Ouest France (89, 92, 94, 95, 2001, 2002). -
eight national titles in First class 8, JOD 24 and 35, J24, Melges 24,
participation in the Admiral's Cup 1991.
Copyright ©2006 Défi Voile Sud – All Rights Reserved. Information taken from http://www.jpdick.com/
Copyright ©2006 Défi Voile Sud – All Rights Reserved. Information taken from http://www.jpdick.com/
Team Veolia, Skipper: Roland Jourdain
2006 - Route du Rhum 2006: 1st
2005 - Calais Round Britain Race: 1st
2003 - Route of the New World: 1st
2002 - Grand Prix de Quiberon and Marseille: 1st
2002 - Regata Rubicon: 1st
2002 - World Champion IMOCA
2001 - World Champion IMOCA
2001 - Transat Jacques Vabre with Gaël Le Cléac'h: 1st
2000 - World Champion IMOCA
1995 - Transat Jacques Vabre on Région Haute Normandie with Paul Vatine: 1st
1994 - Transat AG2R: 1st with Jean Le Cam
1993 - Course de l'Europe on Fujicolor: 1st
1991 - Course de l'Europe sur RMO : 1st
1989 - European Champion and World Formula 40
Copyright © 2008 Veolia Environnement. Information taken from http://www.canyousea.com/index.aspx
Follow the action on the Istanbul Europa Race official website http://www.istanbuleuroparace.com/en/index.asp
They already have photos of the yachts in the Marina Attakoy in Istanbul awaiting the start!
