ETF26 GP Lorient

Eight catamarans at 30 knots in the harbor: Lorient hosts the foiling elite

From August 12–15, 2026, the Lorient harbor transforms into a full-scale sailing stadium. Fourth leg of the ETF26 Series 2026, this Grand Prix arrives at a pivotal moment in the season — just before the finale scheduled for Quiberon in October. After the legs in Mar Menor (Spain), Campione del Garda (Italy), and Foiling Week, this is where the standings crystallize.

Top speeds regularly exceed 30 knots. The format is intense, the races short. Lorient confirms, year after year, its status as the capital of sailing innovation.

A catamaran designed to democratize flight

The ETF26 — Easy To Fly 26 — was born in 2020 from the collaboration between Jean-Pierre Dick, four-time winner of the Transat Jacques Vabre, and naval architect Guillaume Verdier, the brain behind Emirates Team New Zealand's monohulls. The ambition: to make foiling accessible without sacrificing performance.

The result is a 26-foot (8.10 m) catamaran, strict one-design. All boats come from the same mold — no arms race, no budget making the difference. Only the talent of the crews speaks.

In 2026, the fleet carries the latest developments:

• Optimized "J" foils and "T" rudders
• Takeoff at just 8 knots of wind
• Speeds reaching 2.5 times true wind speed

The technology descends directly from the America's Cup. The price of entry, however, remains on a human scale.

Stadium Racing: racing in contact with the spectators

No question of sending the fleet out into the middle of the Atlantic here. GP Lorient is raced in Stadium Racing format — short courses, set directly in the harbor, visible from shore.

• Courses: windward/leeward or coastal raids depending on conditions
• Race duration: approximately 20 minutes — maximum explosiveness, incessant maneuvers
• Crews: 3 to 4 people per boat

The Lorient harbor adds its own layer of complexity. Site effects, tidal currents, capricious thermal wind in August — the enclosed geography of the race area demands frequent tacks. Onboard coordination becomes as decisive as wind reading.

Four days, a merciless system

The format spans four intense days, alternating fleet races and coastal raids if the weather cooperates. The scoring system is unforgiving:

• 1st = 1 point, 2nd = 2 points, etc. — every race counts
• A discard (dropped result) applies after a certain number of completed races
• If fewer than 6 races are sailed, all scores count

Consistency is key. A single false start, a poorly adjusted foil, and the standings swing.

The contenders

The 2026 edition assembles a field where circuit professionals, Olympians, and committed owners cross paths. French dominance remains strong, but international competition is gaining momentum.

The favorites:

• Entreprises du Morbihan (FRA11) — Matthieu Salomon at the helm. Repeat winners, notably at GP Quiberon 2025, they dominate through consistency and intimate knowledge of Brittany's waters.

The challengers:

• Blueshift Sailing Team (FRA00) — Charles Dorange and his crew, perennial runners-up in 2025, capable of brilliant performances. They're looking to break the Morbihan hegemony.
• K-Challenge Blue (FRA01) — Quentin Delapierre, SailGP France driver and face of the Orient Express challenge. A team aiming for the top with exceptional credentials.
• Toroa Racing Team (GBR09) — The Anglo–New Zealand duo John Gimson / Mark Rijkse. Gimson brings his Olympic experience in the Nacra 17. Fourth at GP Quiberon 2025, they're improving leg by leg.

The outsiders:

• Sansin Sailing Team (CAN5) — The Canadian presence confirms the internationalization of the series. Steady progression.
• Geronimo Sailing Team (ITA12) — Orlando Taddeo and Mediterranean technique taking on Atlantic waters.

Find the complete list of entered boats and compare their performance on spencer.club.

What makes Lorient unmissable

Watching eight to ten catamarans charge bow-to-bow at 30 knots on a start line is a spectacle that exists nowhere else in France in this format. Stadium Racing makes the tactics readable — even for spectators discovering sailing. And the one-design formula guarantees that victory is decided exclusively by racing intelligence and mastery of these flying machines.

See you on the Lorient docks starting August 12. Follow the complete ETF26 season calendar on spencer.club.