On May 11 and 12, the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Lion hosted a nautical event: the Gulf of Lion Marine Natural Park Trophy , organized by the Pyrénées-Orientales Departmental Sailing Committee ( CDV66 ). This year again, Terres des Templiers had the privilege of sponsoring the third regatta of this event, the Rimage Racing , organized by the Cercle nautique de Banyuls (CNB) .
The choice of Port-Vendres for the start of the Rimage Racing marked an important step in the cooperation between the sailing clubs in the perimeter of the Park. The CNB , the Société nautique de la Côte Vermeille de Port-Vendres (SNCV) and the light sailing clubs of Collioure joined forces, illustrating the growing synergy between these associations. Laurent Sagols, president of the CNB , welcomed this initiative, stressing the importance of pooling resources for the success of such events.
The event
The regatta brought together 14 boats from various cities, from Leucate to Créteil. Despite the absence of the Canet crews, who were held up by another competition, participation was marked by a spirit of camaraderie and a shared passion for sailing . Each morning, the competitors began their day with breakfast at the Port-Vendres harbor master's office, followed by a race briefing by Laurent Sagols and ecological advice from Frédéric Cadène, curator of the Banyuls-Cerbère marine reserve.
Spectators watched in awe as the yachts set off for Banyuls Bay, where the Rimage Racing races took place. On Saturday, moderate winds allowed the crews to demonstrate their skills on a 10-nautical-mile coastal course, before facing more demanding conditions in the afternoon. On Sunday, Ascension weekend visitors were able to admire four spectacular races from the coast.
A dinner accompanied by Banyuls Rimage Mise Précoce.
On Saturday evening, a Catalan dinner brought together the crews and volunteers in Port-Vendres, strengthening the links between the partner clubs. Terres des Templiers was proud to support this beautiful evening by offering bottles of Banyuls Rimage Mise Précoce 2022 to the participants, and discounts on the wines of the meal for the Cercle Nautique de Banyuls (CNB).
The winners rewarded
The awards ceremony took place on Sunday at Banyuls Town Hall, where the winners were honoured by Laurent Sagols and Jean-Michel Solé, Mayor of Banyuls. The winners left with paintings of fish from the Marine Park, created by local artists from reclaimed wood.
The Marine Natural Park Trophy will continue on June 8 and 9 in Argelès-sur-Mer, for a fourth and final stage. Terres des Templiers is proud to have contributed to this celebration of sailing, the sea and Mediterranean heritage. We look forward to seeing you together to applaud the end of this memorable nautical season, and to raising our glasses to the future of sailing in our region.
