Plymouth to La Rochelle Revival Race gets underway

French and British classic boats will leave Plymouth on 12 July for the 600 kilometre race to La Rochelle in France. They are expected to arrive from 20 July.

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More than 45 French and British classic boats will be taking part in the Plymouth to La Rochelle Revival Race.

Held every two years, it is organised by the Yacht Club Classique in France in association with the Royal Western Yacht Club of England.

The boats began arriving at Sutton Harbour in Plymouth from 10 July.

Plymouth to La Rochelle Revival Race

One of the French classic boats taking part. Credit: Visit Sutton Harbour/Facebook

 

Among them was the 28-metre long Notre Dame des Flots, which is not competing. The vessel visited to add atmosphere to the event.

The competitors will leave Plymouth on 12 July for the 600 kilometre race to La Rochelle.

The race will be in two legs with a three day stopover at Brest to take part in the four yearly Brest Festival of traditional and classic craft.

The first leg of the race will finish at Camaret before entering Brest in a parade-of-sail as part of the festival.

The race will re-start on 19 July, with the first boats expected to arrive in La Rochelle from 20 July.

Plymouth to La Rochelle Revival Race

Making sure everything is ready ahead of the racing. Credit: Visit Sutton Harbour/Facebook

 

The Plymouth to La Rochelle Race has been a popular event in the sailing calendar since the first race was held in 1939.

The event was originally created by the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) with the support of the Société des Régates Rochelaises (SRR) and the Royal Western Yacht Club of England (RWYC).

Following a break during World War II, the race resumed in 1947 and continued until 1981.

The race was revived in 2012 and is now a biennial event.

Plymouth to La Rochelle Revival Race

The classic boats moored in Sutton Harbour. Credit: Visit Sutton Harbour/Facebook

 

The Plymouth to La Rochelle Revival Race will be followed weeks later by the annual Sutton Harbour Classic Boat Rally.

The rally will take place from 29 July until 1  August.

Commercial marketing manager for Sutton Harbour,Charlotte Malcolm, said: “The Plymouth to La Rochelle Revival Race attracted hundreds of visitors to Plymouth’s waterfront in Sutton Harbour the last time this great event was held in 2014, showcasing the spectacular seafront setting our city enjoys, and we are expecting similar interest again in 2016.”

She added: “This is an especially busy year for Sutton Harbour with so many world-class sailing events being held in the historic waterfront quarter, and helping to put Britain’s Ocean City on the map as a destination for international sailing excellence.”