Entries closed for LA DRHEAM CUP – Destination Cotentin!

With just under two months to go before the start of the second edition of LA DRHEAM CUP – Destination Cotentin, the entry list is already complete with 72 professional and Corinthian entries! This promises great sea battles between La Trinité-sur-Mer and Cherbourg-en-Cotentin…

The second edition of LA DRHEAM CUP – Destination Cotentin (19 – 29 July) is a giant leap forwards since 72 boats are entered, almost twice as many as for the first, in August 2016. This is a great satisfaction for the organiser, Jacques Civilise, a very busy man, with just under two months to go before the start: « We thought that the race would pick up pace naturally, so we are surprised to see so many boats entered in the second edition and we are obviously delighted, for competitors and partners that have decided to support us in the long term ».

This success and the size of the boats entered – many are over 50 feet (Multi50, IMOCA, Rhum Class single and multihulls, large monohulls, etc) caused the organisers to close entries and open a waiting list. « For reasons of port capacity, especially in July, we have to limit the number of entries. We will see in the coming weeks if we can welcome more boats, as was the case with La Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe » explains Jacques Civilise.

LA DRHEAM CUP – Destination Guadeloupe’s 736 nautical mile course between La Trinité-sur-Mer and Cherbourg-en-Cotentin is a qualifying race for La Route du Rhum – Destination Guadeloupe, which in part explains the success of the second edition. This isn’t the only explanation; some skippers are already qualified but love the race’s format and course. This is the case for Armel Tripon (Réauté Chocolat), one of the five Multi50 entered, who will all battle it out for victory between Saint-Malo and Pointe-à-Pitre: « I am delighted to take part, we all love this type of race. For me, it will be an opportunity to find out what I am worth alone in a race that combines coastal and offshore sailing and measure myself against my playmates. It is the perfect race to prepare the Route du Rhum ».

LA DRHEAM CUP – Destination Cotentin will also be a dressed rehearsal for other classes taking part in the Route du Rhum. There are 27 entries in Class40 (50 in the Rhum), 9 in Rhum class (Single and multihulls) and 12 in IMOCA, representing almost half the transatlantic fleet, the last entries being Damien Seguin (Groupe Apicil), Isabelle Joshcke (Monin), and Yann Eliès (Ucar). The latter is already qualified for La Route du Rhum and is delighted to take part in the second edition: « This race is all we wish for, it is a great race and enables us to prepare for the Route du Rhum, on a great course with the same ingredients as the Fastnet. You could say it is the French Fastnet. I am especially pleased to be going to Cherbourg, I love that town, I love Normandy, it’s a fantastic sailing spot, an area of wilderness that produces great sailors like Halvard Mabire, Christophe Lebas, Alexis Loison… »

Next to offshore professionals, amateur sailors will also be represented, with thirteen IRC, IRC Double handed and Osiris crews and a few mythical boats such as Le Cigare Rouge (Jean-Marie Patier), that took part in four Vendée Globe, Acapella-Soreal-Proludic (Charlie Capelle), Kriter V Scomore Queguiner (Bob Escoffier) and Kriter VIII (renamed Cap au Cap Location, Wilfrid Clerton). A Classic yacht will be taking the start of the 428 mile course, Haliotis de Kervilor (Patrick Perrin). The boat was built in 1971 in Gosport (Great Britain) and delivered a year later in… La Trinité-sur-Mer.

Jacques Civilise, his team and the start and finish towns will be delighted to welcome all the sailors from Thursday 19 July: « I really want to thank all competitors for their trust and their support of the spirit and DNA of the race that are based on human relations. « The Development of Human Relations » with DRHEAM and the combination of competition, sharing and celebration « , concludes the organiser.

Provisional programme of LA DRHEAM-CUP, Destination Cotentin:

• Thursday 19 to Monday 23 July from 10.00: Opening of the race village in La Trinité-sur-Mer
• Saturday 21 July at 11.00: DRHEAM TROPHY, Race prologue (boats leave harbour at 9.30)
• Sunday 22 July at 12.00 public prizegiving of the DRHEAM TROPHY
• Monday 23 July at 12.30 pm, Start of LA DRHEAM CUP, Destination Cotentin (boats leave harbour at 11.00).
• Arrival in Cherbourg en Cotentin expected between the evening of Wednesday 25 July and Friday 27 July.
• Wednesday 25 to Sunday 29 July from 10.00 am, opening of the village to the public
• Saturday 28 July at 17.45, public prizegiving
• Sunday 29 July from 10.00, LA DREAM PARADE

LA DRHEAM CUP, Destination Cotentin, in brief

• 2nd edition from La Trinité- sur-Mer to Cherbourg – en – Cotentin
• Qualifier for La Route du Rhum, Destination Guadeloupe
• Open, meaning it is open to all professionals and Corinthian sailors and open to many Classes of boat
• 1 crewed prologue with at least 2 young people onboard, the DRHEAM TROPHY: 40 mile course in the Bay or around the Quiberon Bay islands
• « RÊVE DE LARGE » operation: inclusion of young people for the LA DRHEAM-TROPHY Prologue
• 2 courses: La DRHEAM-CUP 700 : 736 nautical miles , and La DRHEAM-CUP 400: 428 nautical miles
• La DRHEAM-CUP 700 is open to: IMOCA, Multi50, Multi2000, Class40, Classe Rhum monohulls, Classe Rhum multihulls and Large Monohulls; this course is a qualifier for the Rhum. The course: approximately 740 miles via the Fastnet, the Isles of Scilly, Wolf Rock and Shambles West with an arrival in Cherbourg en Cotentin.
• La DRHEAM CUP 400 is open to Mini, IRC and OSIRIS classes, and Classic Yachts. The course: approximately 430 miles via the Isles of Scilly, Wolf Rock and Shambles West with an arrival in Cherbourg en Cotentin
• La DRHEAM PARADE is an exhibition race in the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin outer harbour that starts as soon as boats leave the Commerce harbour.
• Read all our news on the official website:drheam-cup.com