Sailing: a great line-up for the first edition of the Med Max, the race that will take the skippers from Port-Camargue to Morocco

Les premiers bateaux sont amarrés à Port-Camargue. Midi Libre – François Rivier

Vingt-sept équipages, dont certains de renom, seront au départ de la course le 29 septembre.

The Med Max is well and truly born. For the first edition of this race on the Mediterranean that will link two continents (Europe and Africa), two countries (France and Morocco), two destinations (Port-Camargue and Saïdia resorts), the skippers have answered the invitation.

Twenty-seven duos will be at the start in two classes, ten in the Ocean Fifty (50 m multihulls) and seventeen in the Class40 (12 m monohulls). Quantity therefore but also quality on the board present around the harbor master's office in Grau-du-Roi where the start village will be set up. “We are super happy, Kito de Pavant does not hide. We have Ambroggio Beccaria (Alla Grande Pirelli), Yann Eliès (Solidaires in the peloton) but also three Spaniards and quite a few Italians who are there. So we have a rather interesting and varied line-up."

Many Mediterranean crews

Among them, Mediterranean crews who will have the advantage of the “terrain”. "In Class40, we will have to follow Mikaël Mergui (Centrakor), Achille Nebout (Amarris), Goulven Marie de Béziers with Nasser Arraiss who is from a town near Saïdia (Qwanza-Bexa), Louis Torrreilles who is from Montpellier (Aquamarin), Mathieu Claveau (Prendre la Mer-Agir pour la forêt), who grew up in the Cévennes and Lozère", explains the organizer.

Who also wants to highlight the 100% female crew composed of Anne-Claire Le Berre and Elodie-Jane Mettraux (Upwind by MerConcept) in Ocean Fifty but also Thibault Le Carpentier and Joël Paris on Rêve à perte de vue. The name given by the latter, visually impaired, to his association.

Another boat defending a good cause, Ha Plus Me – Phenix of François Verdier and Laurent Garnero who promote the Phare40 sailing association dedicated to the reconstruction of wounded soldiers, gendarmes or police officers. They sail on the old Class40 of Kito de Pavant.

A week of racing

All these boats should reach Saïdia in one week, the multihulls having to complete a 1,500-mile loop with a passage to the Stromboli Islands, the monohulls going around Sardinia to complete 1,000 miles. The two classes will then have to go to the Balearic Islands before heading to Morocco.

Lots of entertainment at the departure village

The Med Max organizers have put together a great program before the start of the race on Sunday, September 29. The starting village, located around the Port-Camargue harbor master's office, which will open on Wednesday, September 25, will offer multiple activities around the 27 boats that will be moored on the pontoon.

Conferences on different themes around sailing and the environment are planned, as well as free wing foil and paddle speed races where you just have to register, various stands and also a pétanque court. Every evening, concerts are planned.

The public who will be able to rub shoulders with the skippers at the water's edge will find them on the Mediterranean with a prologue for the Class40s starting on Wednesday 25th and inshore (regattas) are planned for the Ocean Fifty, the following day. On Friday, Catalan sailings are organized.

Entertainment for visitors but also for schools since 300 children will discover the discipline.

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