Events
The Trophee Laura Vergne
🇬🇧 English Version
Trophée Laura Vergne
Class: Figaro Bénéteau 3
The Trophée Laura Vergne is a key event in the Figaro sailing calendar, organised by the Société Nautique de La Trinité-sur-Mer. Held in the Bay of Quiberon, the regatta brings together the Figaro Bénéteau 3 fleet for a series of inshore and offshore races.
Created in memory of Laura Vergne, a committed and influential former President of the Figaro Class, the event celebrates her passion for offshore sailing, competition, and the Figaro community.
Traditionally held as a prelude to the Spi Ouest-France, the Trophée Laura Vergne plays an important role in early-season preparation, offering demanding racing conditions and a highly competitive field.
Event highlights include:
Inshore races in the Bay of Quiberon
Offshore races (24 to 48 hours depending on format)
Double-handed and crew categories
A strong focus on performance, seamanship, and sportsmanship
🇫🇷 Version Française
Trophée Laura Vergne
Classe : Figaro Bénéteau 3
Le Trophée Laura Vergne est une épreuve majeure du calendrier Figaro, organisée par la Société Nautique de La Trinité-sur-Mer. Disputée en baie de Quiberon, la régate réunit la flotte des Figaro Bénéteau 3 pour des parcours côtiers et offshore.
Créé en hommage à Laura Vergne, ancienne Présidente engagée de la Classe Figaro, ce trophée célèbre son attachement à la course au large, à l’esprit sportif et à la communauté Figaro.
Traditionnellement organisé en ouverture de saison et en amont du Spi Ouest-France, le Trophée Laura Vergne constitue une étape clé de préparation, offrant des conditions de course exigeantes et un niveau de compétition élevé.
Temps forts de l’épreuve :
Parcours en baie de Quiberon
Courses offshore (24 à 48 heures selon le format)
Catégories double et équipage
Une régate axée sur la performance, la maîtrise et l’esprit marin
Spi Ouest
🇬🇧 English Version
Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest
Classes: Multi-class regatta (Figaro Bénéteau 3, IRC, One-Design, Sportboats)
Format: Inshore racing
The Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest is one of the largest and most prestigious inshore sailing regattas in Europe. Held annually in La Trinité-sur-Mer, the event brings together hundreds of boats and sailors across multiple classes for a long weekend of high-intensity racing.
Renowned for its competitive level and vibrant atmosphere, the Spi Ouest-France marks a major milestone in the French sailing calendar and is a key early-season objective for professional and amateur sailors alike.
The regatta is organised in partnership with Ouest-France and local sailing authorities, combining top-level sport with strong media coverage and public engagement.
Event highlights include:
Large multi-class fleets racing in the Bay of Quiberon
Short, tactical inshore courses
Professional and amateur sailors competing side by side
A festive onshore atmosphere in La Trinité-sur-Mer
🇫🇷 Version Française
Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest
Classes : Régate multi-séries (Figaro Bénéteau 3, IRC, Monotypes, Sportboats)
Format : Courses côtières
Le Spi Ouest-France Banque Populaire Grand Ouest est l’une des plus grandes et des plus prestigieuses régates côtières d’Europe. Organisé chaque année à La Trinité-sur-Mer, l’événement rassemble plusieurs centaines de bateaux et de marins issus de nombreuses séries pour un week-end de régates intenses.
Réputé pour son niveau sportif élevé et son ambiance conviviale, le Spi Ouest-France est un rendez-vous incontournable du calendrier nautique français et une étape clé du début de saison pour les équipages professionnels comme amateurs.
La régate bénéficie d’une forte visibilité médiatique grâce à son partenariat avec Ouest-France et s’inscrit pleinement dans la dynamique nautique de La Trinité-sur-Mer.
Temps forts de l’événement :
Flottes nombreuses et variées en baie de Quiberon
Parcours courts et tactiques
Présence de marins professionnels et amateurs
Une atmosphère festive à terre et sur l’eau
Fig’Armor
The Fig’Armor is a demanding offshore race on the Figaro 3 calendar, held in Lorient and sailed in solo or double-handed format. Run over several days, the race features two nights at sea and a course of at least 450 nautical miles, making it a true test of endurance, strategy, and boat handling.
Organised by the Ligue Bretagne de Voile in collaboration with the Classe Figaro Beneteau, the Fig’Armor forms part of the Académie Figaro Beneteau series and is a key qualifier for major offshore events including the Solitaire du Figaro, Défi Paprec, and Vendée Portugal races.
With tight one-design racing and challenging Atlantic conditions, the Fig’Armor is a critical milestone in the Figaro season and a proving ground for offshore performance and consistency.
Epreuve ‘X’
The Épreuve ‘X’ is one of the most demanding offshore events on the 2026 calendar, sailed double-handed in the Figaro 3 fleet. Organised by EG’EAU – École de Voile Île d’Yeu in partnership with the Classe Figaro Beneteau, the race runs from 19 August to 13 September 2026.
Starting in Port Bourgenay, the event features a long offshore leg to Lagos (Portugal) before returning to Île d’Yeu, covering up to 2,400 nautical miles depending on the weather-adapted course. The first stage can include a routing via Madeira, pushing crews into extended Atlantic conditions and true oceanic strategy.
Classified as RSO Category 2, Épreuve ‘X’ counts as Stage 4 of the Championnat de France Elite de Course au Large (Coefficient 3). It also serves as a qualifier for key events such as the Défi Paprec and future Solitaire campaigns.
Combining offshore endurance, tactical weather routing, and high-intensity double-handed racing, Épreuve ‘X’ is a major performance benchmark within the Figaro season.
Defi Azimut
The Défi Azimut is a major offshore racing event held annually in Lorient, France, bringing together the elite fleet of IMOCA 60 yachts ahead of the Vendée Globe cycle. Organised by Lorient Grand Large, the event blends offshore competition with technical preparation and sponsor engagement.
The programme typically includes a short offshore race, speed runs, and a longer distance course of several hundred nautical miles in the Bay of Biscay. It serves as a final competitive benchmark before major ocean races, allowing teams to validate performance, systems reliability, and crew coordination under race conditions.
With strong media presence and high-profile skippers on the start line, the Défi Azimut is both a sporting challenge and a key commercial showcase within the professional offshore racing calendar.
Figaro 3 Nationals
The National Figaro 3 is the annual crewed championship of the Beneteau Figaro 3 fleet, bringing together skippers and teams for high-intensity one-design racing in Lorient. Organised by the Centre Nautique de Lorient (CNL) in partnership with the Classe Figaro Beneteau, the event is sailed in four-person crews.
Unlike the predominantly solo and double-handed offshore format of the Figaro circuit, the Nationals focus on short-course coastal and constructed races, placing emphasis on boat handling, crew coordination, and tactical decision-making. Racing is tight, technical, and highly competitive, with identical boats ensuring that performance differences come down to teamwork and precision.
As part of the Académie Figaro Beneteau series, the National Figaro 3 provides an important end-of-season benchmark and a platform for developing crewed race experience within the elite Figaro fleet.
Nastro Rosa Double Handed Europeans
The Nastro Rosa Double Handed European Championship is one of the continent’s premier offshore sailing competitions, combining technical challenge, tactical racing, and coastal navigation — all sailed double-handed aboard the cutting-edge Beneteau Figaro 3, the world’s first production foiling one-design monohull.
The 2025 edition continues the tradition of showcasing elite offshore talent across a multi-leg course, stopping in iconic Italian cities along the Mediterranean. With only two crew per boat, the race tests not just speed and seamanship, but endurance, trust, and strategy under pressure.
Key Highlights:
🚩 High-level offshore competition sanctioned by EUROSAF
🧭 Real-time tracking and media coverage across Europe
👫 Double-handed format with no shore support during legs
🛥️ Strict one-design racing in Figaro 3 fleet – pure sailing skill
🏁 A decisive event for top double-handed teams in Europe
Why It Matters:
This event is a major fixture in the European offshore calendar, drawing the continent’s top up-and-coming and experienced sailors alike. It’s also a key development platform ahead of future Olympic and transatlantic campaigns, making it a must-watch event for sailing fans and a serious test for competitors.
LE DÉFI PAPREC
Le Défi Paprec is a recent addition to the renowned La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec sailing event. Introduced to provide emerging sailors with a platform to gain experience, this initiative allows amateur or up-and-coming sailors to participate in one complete stage of the race in a double-handed format. In its inaugural edition, eight duos started the Défi Paprec on August 25 in the Bay of Seine, 15 minutes after the solo competitors, following the same route as the 37 solo sailors on the first leg of the race.
This format offers participants valuable experience and insight into the challenges of the full, three-stage solo race, making it an appealing opportunity for international racers seeking to step into the world of professional offshore sailing.
Spi Ouest France
Spi Ouest-France is one of Europe's largest and most prestigious regattas, held annually in La Trinité-sur-Mer, France. This iconic event gathers sailors of all levels, from amateurs to professionals, across multiple classes of boats, including keelboats, multihulls, and dinghies. Known for its intense competition, vibrant atmosphere, and challenging racing conditions, Spi Ouest-France has become a highlight of the European sailing calendar, attracting hundreds of crews eager to showcase their skills on the water.
The Trophée Laura Vergne
The Trophée Laura Vergne is an annual sailing competition established in 2023 by the Figaro Beneteau Class to honor the late Laura Vergne, a pivotal figure in offshore racing. As the Plaisance Director at La Concorde insurance, later Generali, and President of the Figaro Beneteau Class from 1994 to 2000, she played a crucial role in transitioning the circuit from amateur to professional status by promoting sponsorship in sailing. The inaugural race of the Figaro Beneteau Academy, named in her memory, takes place in La Trinité-sur-Mer, attracting sailors who aim to celebrate her legacy through their participation.
Lewmar Lonely Tower Race
The Lewmar Lonely Tower JOG Race is a competitive offshore sailing event organised by the Junior Offshore Group (JOG). Sponsored by Lewmar, the race challenges teams to navigate a coastal or offshore course, typically marked by the iconic "Lonely Tower." Known for its blend of tactical navigation and demanding conditions, it attracts a diverse fleet of sailors eager to test their skills and teamwork. This race embodies the spirit of offshore sailing, combining technical precision, strategy, and resilience.