This atypical offshore racing event is a great success every year. Offering competition at sea and conviviality on land, the five-day happening at Lorient Agglomeration promises to be quite a party. Born from the meeting between the IMOCA Class which most notably brings together the skippers of the Vendée Globe and from an eponymous Lorient company, this offshore racing event aims to combine performance, innovation and strategy. A very popular regatta a few weeks before the start of the queen of races, the Route du Rhum destination Guadeloupe from September 13th to 18th!

A key sporting event

Over the years, the Défi Azimut - Lorient Agglomeration has become a reference sporting event on the calendar, one which onboards a number of exceptional sailors. Among the 80 loyal skippers of the challenge, there are 6 winners of the Vendée Globe, 8 winners of the Route du Rhum, 24 winners of the Transat Jacques Vabre and 12 winners of the Solitaire Figaro. A record number of boats are expected this year for the challenge, an annual multi-format event registered in the IMOCA Globe Series World Championship. Five days of competition on the program, with speed runs, 48 hours solo and record of the Tour de Groix!

Three intensive trials

-The Runs - September 15th
Timed crew speed trials over a given distance
-The 48h Azimuth – from September 16 to 18
48 hours of navigation with an onboard mediaman to allow the public to experience the race as closely as possible
-The timed Tour de Groix-September 19th
This last trial consists of going around the island of Groix off the coast of Lorient.
Three good opportunities for the skippers to push their IMOCA and for the public to feel the emotions of the offshore race.

An exceptional 2022 edition

There are 7 brand new boats and 9 newcomers to the event, some of which will also land in IMOCA. Another great novelty: the Défi Azimut - Lorient Agglomeration will this year host the warm-up The Ocean Race. The four crews registered on this specific course will be composed of 4 sailors including a woman and will be accompanied by a mediaman. And the event that was part of the IMOCA Globe Series World Championship last year now counts towards the 2024-2025 Vendée Globe qualifying miles!

All-out Azimut!

Well-anchored in its territory, Azimut develops business platforms for boat rental companies, for the Brittany Naval Cluster, for the World Maritime Campus ... Among its loyal customers, the IMOCA Class, the Figaro Bénéteau Class, the Mini Class, the Class40 and their specific needs in terms of tools (tracking, registration platform, boat database ...).
 
© C. Favreau/Azimut Challenge-Lorient Agglomeration

SMARTAPPART, the housing solution in the city of Lorient

The SMARTAPPART residential hotel is a budget alternative to hotels in the city of Lorient. Rates are discounted starting from two nights. Its luxury furnished apartments are suitable for any type of stay. Its innovative online booking and payment system allows you to access the apartments in a self-service fashion.

 
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