© YVAN ZEDDA

Enjoying an established breeze, sunshine, a host of remarkably well prepared and receptive skippers, and a series of full-on races where the potential winners were impossible to guess in advance, everything came together to ensure the success of the tenth Défi Azimut.



 

17 competitors joined the fray to battle it out in the three complementary formats. Armel Tripon (L’Occitane en Provence) posted the best time during the speed runs (23.35 knots), Jérémie Beyou (Charal) taking the win in the 48-hour Azimut after the incredible suspense of the finish, and today, Kevin Escoffier (PRB) proved to be the quickest to circumnavigate the Ile de Groix.


An unrivalled sporting success
“The variety of the formats enabled a great many skippers to really demonstrate what they’re made of and provided the perfect showcase for their talent. The Speed runs and the Round the Ile de Groix are always spectacular and the social aspect is much appreciated by the guests. As for the singlehanded 48-hour Azimut, at least five boats could have secured the win at any one time and to my mind the suspense at the finish was key to the success of this edition”,explained the organiser Jean Marie Corteville, as he disembarked this afternoon from MACSF, having been invited to contest the Round the Ile de Groix by skipper Isabelle Joschke.


As is the case every year, in addition to the competitive jousting, the Défi was also an opportunity to gather together the various protagonists that make up Lorient’s ecosystem around themes associated with the economy, technology and the environment.  A cross-disciplinary event, the Défi puts the excellent hosting capacity of Lorient La Base to very good use and stands out as a real jewel in the maritime landscape of Brittany’s ‘Sailing Valley”.


Maturity
The team at Azimut, an SME geared around providing IT solutions, which adds another string to its bow every September by taking on the role of race organiser, is already setting its sights on the 11th edition. Indeed, very aware of the maturity and appeal of the event, IMOCA has decided to include the Défi in the official championship for the IMOCA Globe Series 2021. Antoine Mermod, President of the class, is very much behind the concept: “We’re going to continue to support the event and enable it to grow. It’s down to us to retain its unique blend of sociability and top-level sport in a bid to attract an even greater number of skippers”.


See you in September 2021.