Until Sunday, July 26, the Promenade des Anglais hosts the ninth and final stage of the Tour de France à la Voile. The public will have no time to be bored. The races will follow one another with a major novelty: the boat helmed by all the sailors. On solid ground, the attractions promise to captivate both young and old, ranging from entertainment to rescue simulations.
The battle on the Mediterranean Sea will pit 29 crews against each other, and in the standings, three are poised to take victory. Suspense is therefore guaranteed. Tomorrow at noon, the skippers will spring into action for the first day of racing. They will start with the Coastal Raid, during which they must cover a certain distance along the coastline. Then, on Saturday the 25th, it will be time for the Nautical Stadium courses, a novelty this year. The sailors will compete in groups, very close to the public, right at the beachside. No room for mistakes, the races will only last 20 minutes, so the boats will stay close! The objective: qualify for the final phase and claim victory in the end. The results of these two days will determine the winner in the overall, amateur, coastal, and nautical standings. Sunday will see exhibition regattas float purely for entertainment.
A fast pace, and the Diam 24 is no stranger to it. The boat is making its first appearance in the competition, and success is evident, according to the Director of the Tour de France à la Voile, Jean-Baptiste Durier. “It’s a revolution. It brings dynamism, more fun, enjoyment for sailors and the public.” He is pleased with the multihull fleet, a novelty for the Tour since its inception.
On land, the show will be everywhere
Regarding the event, he considers it logical that the city of Nice is the final finish line since last year. He takes "the Bay of Angels, world-renowned" and the geographical reality as examples to justify the choice to come here to wave the checkered flag. Jean-Baptiste Durier also mentions "the extraordinary public, already present in 2014". He hopes to see "a full Promenade".
Between the attractions and the technical means to cover the regattas (the races), his wish should come true. At the Village, games of all kinds will amuse the younger ones. Unless they have their eyes glued to Babette the Seagull, the mascot of the Tour de France à la Voile. More seriously, young people can attend demonstrations of rescues or boat preparations. On the beaches, spectators will follow the clashes as if on television. Giant screens, sound systems, and commentary will be provided. Additionally, they will have the chance to talk with sailors during these three days. Big names in the sport are competing, such as Franck Cammas, leader in the general classification before reaching Nice.
