European Course Racing Continentals

The Grand Prix Petit Navire, one of the most renowned competitive kiteboarding and sailing events, will host the 2009 European Course Racing Championships.

Since its creation in 1999, the Grand Prix Petit Navire has constantly kept evolving and diversifying.

The 2009 edition of the Grand Prix petit Navire will take place from April 30th to May 10th, marking the 10th anniversary of the Grand Prix Petit Navire, which will be an opportunity for the hundreds of volunteers to join forces and to celebrate once again this cherished yearly sailing event.

Douarnenez, in springtime, is naturally enchanting and its magical atmosphere is further enhanced when the whole town bends over backwards to welcome sailors from all around the world. It’s a real party atmosphere. At this point, the bay becomes a theatre of unusual encounters between high-tech, classical and traditional sailing types. 

For this tenth birthday, we foresee the simultaneous participation of the following classes:  85 Dragons, the largest racing fleet in the world, 100 kitesurfers, constituting Europe’s largest gathering of kites and hosting the european course racing championships, class  60 ' IMOCA monohulls of the Vendée Globe, Class 40’ monohulls,  6.5m-long Mini boats,  300 schoolchildren competing in the Optimist class and the Port Rhu Museum’s open house featuring its traditional boat building skills.

The event is planned and organized by Douarnenez’s sailing associations: the Société de régates of  Douarnenez (SRD)  , Douarnenez Voile and the municipal nautical Center, with the help of a vast local volunteer force.  Support comes from the Finistère’s General Council, the District council of Brittany, the French sailing  federation (FFV), the French federation of Free Flight (FFVL) , the sailing League of Brittany, Nautisme in Finistère (NEF), the International Kiteboarding association, and the sponsorship of Petit Navire.