16th CIC Normandy Channel Race - Overall
by Sirius Events 30 May 09:58 NZST
25 May - 1 June 2025
Corentin Douguet and Axel Tréhin win the 16th CIC Normandy Channel Race © Jean-Marie Liot
At the end of an absolutely epic race, the Class40 Esprit Large (209) has secured the holy grail by being first across the finish line off Ouistreham at 18h 23min 16s French time after 4 days, 4 hours, 23 minutes and 16 seconds of racing.
Champions Corentin Douguet and Axel Tréhin narrowly beat Sogestran - Seafrigo (197), whose skippers Guillaume Pirouelle and Cédric Château are poised to take silver in this historic race. Legallais (199), winner of the 2024 edition and one of the key movers and shakers in this year's competition, looks well placed to bag the bronze medal and the final step of the podium.
Corentin Douguet and Axel Tréhin posted an incredibly solid performance by taking the head of the fleet after just 24 hours out on the racetrack, having passed to the south of the TSS Casquets. They followed up this move by managing to avoid all the many pitfalls dished up in this memorable edition.
Indeed, they nailed the timing for hunkering down to shelter from the harsh sea and wind conditions in the English Channel and then accelerated away for the two long stretches of reaching that coloured the outward and return legs across the Irish Sea, before perfectly negotiating the passage around the Channel Islands and the Cotentin peninsula, despite their pursuers breathing down their necks.
Indeed, the winning duo had to stave off the chasing pack, which was gradually gaining ground on its predecessor, providing onlookers with an exceptional finale akin to offshore match racing. In so doing, Corentin Douguet has got his revenge on the 2022 edition, which saw him cross the finishing line just 10 minutes after victor Crédit Mutuel.
Meantime, this latest win has given Axel Tréhin the golden ticket to a very select club of double champions of the CIC Normandy Channel Race alongside Pierre Brasseur (2013 and 2019), Phil Sharp (2017 and 2018), Pablo Santurde Del Arco (2016 and 2017) and Ambrogio Beccaria (2022 and 2023).
"I'm incredibly happy to add the CIC Normandy Channel Race to my list of accolades because it's one of the cornerstones of the racing circuit. Our rivals were coming back strong and we never really managed to shake them off and leave them for dust. In these double-handed races, you have to go hard all the time because everyone has the bit between their teeth," beams Corentin Douguet at the finish in Ouistreham.
For his part, Axel Tréhin is thrilled to see his name etched on the cup for the second time: "It's such a pleasure to take on the title of double champion of this event. It's a race where there's stiff opposition, it's really tough and there are moves to be played throughout the race. Roll on next year and a crack at becoming the only triple champion!"
Event website: normandy-race.com/en