For the fifth consecutive year, the Nice nautical club was the starting point for the 11th Handivoile tour of the Alpes-Maritimes yesterday morning.
Under a beautiful sun, a handful of volunteers welcomed people wanting to enjoy a ride at sea. The Nice Nautical Club (CNN) offers people with disabilities the chance to experience the joys of the sea. A team of smiling volunteers manages the registrations under a small tent. “It’s a wonderful initiative,” smiled one of them.
The president of CNN, Frédéric Maniglier, detailed the new plans for this year: “we will have trips in rowing boats, collective sailboats, stand-up paddleboards, and Polynesian canoes. There will also be aquagym classes.”
“It is a pleasure to host this tour. The city of Nice is one of our most important partners,” reminds Frédéric Maniglier. “The Nice club has opened up to mass sports and disability.”
Pascal Berthault, the president of the departmental sailing committee 06, emphasized that “there is a real desire to make the sea accessible to people with disabilities.” After thanking the unwavering support of the departmental council, Pascal Berthault recalled that “until 2012, the tour was launched on the Plage du Centenaire, in front of the Albert 1st garden.”
Lauriano Azinheirinha, vice-president of the departmental council, replaced Éric Ciotti, who could not attend. He thanked Frédéric Maniglier for “promoting access to sailing and kayaking.”
After this short presentation, the crews take their places. Volunteers organize and put on the life jackets. The first boats are launched, and the volunteers equip themselves. Then, it’s off for an hour at sea, the best place to set sail and escape.
The Handivoile 06 tour spans the entire month of June, and eight cities will host activities: Saint-Laurent du Var, Cap d’Ail, Roquebrune Cap-Martin, Cagnes-sur-Mer, Antibes, Mandelieu, and Cannes. Four outings a day will be organized, about one hundred until July 2nd, when the tour concludes.
