Image: Forecast Lorient 25 September © PredictWind
Offshore Double Handed World Championship - 24th – October 1st 2024 - Lorient, Morbihan, Brittany, France
Organised by Lorient Grand Large in association with FFVoile, the Yacht Club De France and the Royal Ocean Racing Club with the support of Cap-Regatta and Multiplast/Jeanneau.
Lorient, France – 25 September, 2024: Racing at the Offshore Double Handed World Championship (ODHWC) starts today, Wednesday 25 September. A low pressure system has arrived in Lorient before the start of the Département du Morbihan Race - Elimination Race One. The scheduled start at 1600 (UTC+2) will now be an hour later at 1700, and the original course published of 112 NM has been shortened to approximately 82 NM.
At a packed Skippers’ Briefing, Christophe Gaumont ODHWC Race Director explained the reasoning for the changes to the first elimination race. “Delaying the start by one hour will allow for the first low pressure system to pass,” commented Christophe Gaumont. “Shortening the course will avoid an area of big sea state and produce a race finish before the next low pressure system arrives,” continued Gaumont. “Four low pressure systems are forecast for the regatta and we need to find the right time to play.”
At the Skippers’ Briefing, PRO Paul Jackson ran through all of the procedures for the start of racing at the Offshore Double Handed World Championship. CROSS-A Etel Director Alexis Morel (Head of Coastguard for the Etel region) briefed the competitors on the Coastguard’s 24 hour surveillance of the race area and procedures that are in place.
The stage is set for what looks like a windy world championship and La Base Lorient is an impressive platform to stage an event of this stature. Home to as many as 15 IMOCA teams as well as three Ultims and numerous Figaro and Class40 teams. Lorient La base is a purpose-built offshore racing mecca, an incredible facility, just a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean.
The Welcome Party for the 2024 Offshore Double Handed World Championship was held at Thomas Ruyant Racing’s IMOCA base in Lorient with guests treated to a tour of the IMOCA Base by Thomas Gaveriaux Team manager for TR Racing. All of the teams at the world championship were invited to the stage to receive their identification banners for the event. Speakers at the Welcome Party included Patrice Valton Vice President Lorient Agglomeration, Fabio Muzzolini ODHWC Project Manager, Christophe Gaumont Race Director, Yves Ginoux Yacht Club de France, Joe Lacy RORC Flag Officer, Foad Zahedi Cap Regatta, Katrina Ham World Sailing, and Jean Passini Class C30.