Med Max: challenging the Mediterranean waves
The Mediterranean is a crossroads of winds and currents, a place where sailors and navigators have written pages of history, a natural stage of unparalleled beauty. In September has hosted the start of a new regatta, which promises to be one of the most fascinating and challenging on the world scene.
Designed by a group of sailors specifically for sailors, the Med Max Occitanie - Saïdia Resorts is more than just a sports competition, it pays homage to the Mare Nostrum, its pitfalls and its natural spectacles. The idea came to Kito de Pavant and Christophe Carniel, CEO of Vogo Sport, who want it to become part of the sailing calendar in early autumn, with a new major event to be held every four years.
The first edition will set sail from Grau du Roi - Port Camargue in the Gard region, destination Saïdia Marina in Eastern Morocco. Departure is scheduled for 29th September, with two boat categories ready for battle: Class40 monohulls and Ocean Fifty multihulls. The arrival is scheduled for 4th October, after about five days of racing in pairs around some of the most beautiful islands in the area, during a regatta that brings together two continents, Europe and Africa. The goal is to connect the continents bordering the Mediterranean and strengthen friendly, cultural, and economic relations among the participating countries. The sailors' response was immediate: thirty crews signed up right away with Class40 and Ocean Fifty boats. “This is the core theme that drives our organisation”, explains Kito de Pavant. “Our sport is first and foremost about sailing, optimising routes to travel from one country to another as quickly as possible, from one shore to the other”.
The route will lead the crews past the buoy off the Théâtre de la Mer and into the Strait of Bonifacio, between Corsica and Sardinia. Awaiting the sailors is an epic journey: roughly 2,000 miles for the Class40s and 3,000 for the Ocean Fiftys. This adventure will take them to iconic islands in Italy and the Balearics, pushing their technical abilities and their mental and physical limits.
To sail the Mediterranean is to step into a unique universe where anything can happen and each mile brings a new adventure. The calmest of seas can hide treacherous surprises, with sudden wind shifts capable of testing even the most experienced sailors.
Port Camargue is a must, a harbour of global renown, offering visitors the chance to enjoy leisurely strolls along its picturesque docks. It's one of the largest marinas in Europe, with 5,000 boats moored annually along its ten kilometres of docks and piers. However, the coastline of Provence is a patchwork of secret coves and headlands gently kissed by the mistral wind. In this place, a fierce, dry wind drives the boats forward with incredible force, filling the sails like a gale straight from the Alps. The wind, a key element of the landscape, is shaped by the interplay of high and low pressure systems. Having conquered the Strait of Bonifacio, the race ventures into the Mediterranean, a seemingly placid sea where the currents of Sardinia and Africa intertwine. The waters deepen to a mesmerising blue, and the scirocco wind transforms the journey into a celestial dance. With every metre, the sailors are transported into a timeless realm.
Drawing closer to Tunisia, a new world unfolds, with shifting colours, scents, winds, and a completely different atmosphere. As the Mediterranean embraces Africa, the heat grows more intense, and the wind, carrying whispers of distant deserts, creates a stark contrast to the rugged beauty of Provence. A striking aesthetic duality that embodies the spirit of the Med Max.
Ambrogio Beccaria faces an uphill battle following the setbacks experienced by his "Alla Grande Pirelli" during the Transat Québec Saint-Malo. The Milanese sailor was forced to withdraw from the race following damage to his boat.
The epic Med Max journey is on the horizon, a voyage across the Mediterranean, a sea steeped in history, having seen the birth and demise of civilizations, naval engagements, ground-breaking discoveries, and bustling trade. To cross it today, aboard modern vessels, is an act of respect and love for the tradition of sailing.
