The Alpes-Maritimes department has officially launched an “offshore racing” training program at the port of La Darse in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Supported by the departmental Sea Center “Loïc Leferme”, this initiative involves the French Sailing Federation and sailor Jean-Pierre Dick. Six young sailors have been selected for a first multi-day navigation, marking the operational start of this new maritime tool.
On Friday, January 30, 2026, the departmental port of La Darse in Villefranche-sur-Mer hosted the official launch of the “offshore racing” training of the Alpes-Maritimes Department Sea Center “Loïc Leferme”. The event was attended by the president of the Alpes-Maritimes department, the mayors of Cap-d’Ail and Villefranche-sur-Mer, Xavier Beck and Christophe Trojani, as well as several departmental officials and representatives of the French Sailing Federation and maritime stakeholders. The training will be led by Nice-based sailor Jean-Pierre Dick, who is actively involved in the program. Six selected young sailors also participated in the event.
This step marks the entry into the operational phase of the Sea Center “Loïc Leferme”, which was officially unveiled on June 8, 2025, on the eve of UNOC 3. Located at the La Darse site in Villefranche-sur-Mer, this departmental maritime center aims to structure and connect the maritime dynamics of the region around several axes: international freediving, offshore racing, champion hosting, environmental protection, maritime heritage, port community life, and events. The choice of the Port of La Darse, a site rich in maritime history, positions this project as a continuation of the Department’s longstanding commitment to the sea, through initiatives like the Sailing Plan, the Mediterranean Plan 06, or the Green Deal actions.
Jean-Pierre Dick: “ a first step is taken”
The launch of the “offshore racing” training is the first concrete action of the Sea Center “Loïc Leferme”. The Alpes-Maritimes department, in partnership with Jean-Pierre Dick and the French Sailing Federation, aims to identify, train, and support young talents toward offshore navigation. This initiative is part of the pursuit of the national FFV label for “young offshore racing”.
Until now, access to this type of program required young sailors from the Southeast to move to Brittany. The creation of this training now allows for structured support in the Alpes-Maritimes region, with standards comparable to those of the traditional centers on the Atlantic coast. This change meets a long-standing demand from local sailing figures and athletes engaged in offshore racing projects.
At the end of the official sequence, six high-level young sailors set sail for a several-day selection navigation under winter conditions. Three participants from the Alpes-Maritimes were among those selected. This navigation, conducted alongside Jean-Pierre Dick, aims to assess offshore racing skills: endurance, autonomy, boat management, and decision-making ability. The vessel used for this navigation phase is the JP54, the boat Jean-Pierre Dick used to win the Route du Rhum in 2022.
The cohort brings together varied backgrounds. Nathan Mesiano, a sailor from the Alpes-Maritimes trained on the Mediterranean coast, continues his solo offshore racing project and prepares for the Mini-Transat 2027. Julia D’Amodio, from the Antibes hopefuls center, competes in match racing and fleet racing, with European and World titles in the SB20 category. Clara Bayol has experience in match racing and offshore racing, participating in events like the Rolex Fastnet Race and the Paprec 600. Alice Chiappori, trained in Nice and Antibes, combines a sports career in match racing with a professional career as a maritime law attorney. Charles Hénon, from the South inshore center, practices match racing, J70, and offshore racing, with a project to transmit his knowledge through a BPJEPS. Ian Garreta, a helmsman specializing in inshore and match racing, is listed on the high-level lists of the French Sailing Federation and is pursuing an engineering degree at INSA Lyon.
During the ceremony, Charles Ange Ginésy declared: “with the departmental Sea Center ‘Loïc-Leferme’, we strongly affirm that the sea is one of the greatest schools of life.”
Jean-Pierre Dick recalled the lack of dedicated structures in the South in the early 2000s and the necessary move to Brittany to access offshore racing. “Today, with the commitment of the Alpes-Maritimes department and the creation of the Sea Center ‘Loïc-Leferme’, a first step is taken”, the sailor noted, emphasizing the necessity of transmitting broad experience, from navigation to project structuring.
With this launch, the Sea Center “Loïc Leferme” establishes itself as an anchoring point for departmental maritime ambitions. Sport, youth, environment, and maritime heritage now converge at the Darse in Villefranche-sur-Mer, a starting point for trajectories headed toward the open sea and oceans.
