Guy Cotten Académie – Double

Guy Cotten Académie – Double 2026: The Figaro Talent Pool Takes on Concarneau

Executive Summary

The 2026 edition of the Guy Cotten Académie – Double promises to be a key strategic early-season rendezvous for the Figaro Beneteau Class. Scheduled from 8 to 15 March 2026 in Concarneau, this double-handed race precedes the famous Solo Guy Cotten and serves as a genuine testing ground for mixed crews and young Academy talent.

Raced on Figaro Beneteau 3s, the event offers a demanding format combining technical coastal courses with an offshore race of over 200 miles. With a coefficient counting towards the French Elite Offshore Racing Championship, the stakes are twofold: validate winter preparations and score valuable points before the solo season. The duos will have to contend with often capricious March weather in the North Atlantic and master the tactical subtleties of Concarneau Bay and the Glénan archipelago.

History: Evolution Towards Double-Handed Racing

The Guy Cotten Académie – Double is part of the long tradition of pre-season regattas organized by the Société des Régates de Concarneau (SRC). While the flagship event, the Solo Guy Cotten (successor to the Grand Prix de Concarneau created in 1970), is historically dedicated to solo sailors, the introduction of a "Double" division responds to a necessary evolution in offshore training.

Created to support the rise of young sailors, this category allows skippers from the Figaro Beneteau Academy to face the demands of the professional circuit while benefiting from a co-skipper's experience or learning crew coordination. In 2026, the race confirms its status as an essential springboard, offering duos the same playing field as the solo sailors, thus enabling direct comparison of performances and tactical choices [1].

The 2026 Course: A Tactical Atlantic Challenge

The 2026 route, starting and finishing in Concarneau, is designed to test all sailing angles of the Figaro 3. The race committee has validated a mixed programme totalling approximately 270 nautical miles, divided into several races to test crews' versatility.

Key Course Stages

The programme is built around two complementary types of exercises:

1. Coastal Races (Inshore): Contested in La Forêt Bay and around the Glénan archipelago, these races of approximately 26 nautical miles require frequent manoeuvres and careful reading of currents and coastal effects.
2. The Long Race (Offshore): The showpiece of the event is an offshore course of approximately 218 nautical miles.

Strategic Waypoints of the Long Race:

• Concarneau Start: Often technically challenging bay exit.
• L'Occidentale de Sein: A demanding northward beat, exposed to prevailing winds.
• Les Birvideaux: A turning mark to the south, often requiring a long downwind leg under spinnaker or gennaker.
• Belle-Île: Rounding the island is a critical zone. The sailing instructions strictly define no-go zones near the coast (notably the Poulains area and Pointe de Kerdonis), where non-compliance resulted in heavy penalties in the previous edition [2].

Competition Format and Rules

The Guy Cotten Académie – Double is raced on the one-design Figaro Beneteau 3, the world's first production foiling monohull. This format guarantees total sporting equity: the difference comes purely from sailors' talent and their ability to exploit the boat.

The "Academy" format emphasizes knowledge transfer and progression. Crews must manage fatigue during the long race (two nights at sea expected) while maintaining maximum tactical clarity for the intense coastal courses.

Notable Participants and Key Contenders

The 2026 edition attracts a strong fleet, mixing double-handed specialists and young hopefuls from the Figaro Class. Although the final list evolves until the start, dynamics observed in previous seasons and team announcements allow identification of favourites.

Duos to Watch

• Edouard Golbery & Jules Delpech (Verder – P'tit Duc): Winners of the 2025 double-handed classification on the long race, they return with the favourites' tag. Their consistency and knowledge of the Concarneau waters are major assets [2].
• Paul Morvan & Éric Péron (French Touch): An experienced duo who showed great form on coastal courses last year (victory in coastal race #1 in 2025). They'll be formidable in manoeuvring phases [2].
• Cindy Brin & Thomas André (Cap St Barth): Consistently in the top 3, they form a highly complementary mixed team, capable of bold tactical moves [2].

The race also welcomes new entrants from the Figaro Beneteau Academy, for whom this race often represents their first major official test in race configuration [1].

Stakes for the 2026 Edition

Beyond victory in Concarneau, the Guy Cotten Académie – Double carries several strategic stakes for the 2026 season.

1. French Championship Preparation

For sailors targeting the overall French Elite Offshore Racing Championship, this race is crucial. It validates winter speed-testing and gauges the competition before major solo events like the Solitaire du Figaro Paprec [4].

2. Mastering Exclusion Zones

The 2025 edition was marked by numerous penalties related to crossing prohibited zones (DST, protected coastal areas), dramatically reshuffling the final classification [2]. In 2026, navigation precision and vigilance regarding cartography will be determining factors. A momentary lapse of a few metres could cost the podium.

3. March Weather Management

Sailing in the Bay of Biscay in early March is a meteorological gamble. Crews must be ready to face highly variable conditions, from anticyclonic calms (ridges) demanding extreme concentration, to active cold fronts with winds exceeding 25-30 knots [2]. The ability to shift modes quickly (from "heavy weather" to "doldrums") will make the difference.

4. Academy Springboard

For the Figaro Beneteau Class, this race is the showcase for its training pipeline. The objective is to enable young Academy sailors to accumulate racing miles and gain autonomy before transitioning to solo sailing [1].

References

1. Figaro. La saison 2026 s'étoffe d'un nouvelle .... https://www.courseaularge.com/figaro-la-saison-2026-setoffe-dun-nouvelle-course-en-double-entre-la-vendee-et-le-portugal.html
2. Fetched web page. https://sologuycotten.blogspot.com/
3. Calendrier Figaro 3 - 14 courses - Spencer. https://www.spencer.club/fr/agenda/class/figaro-3
4. La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec. https://www.lasolitaire.com/