"Cette nouvelle course réunit tous les ingrédients pour devenir un succès incontournable."

The 2004 edition of the Dinartica

Token of Hervé Cléris on the last edition

Testimony of the 50 feet-long boat association and winner of the 2004 edition of the Dinartica, Hervé Cléris :

“ The Dinartica emerged from Dinard city council’s will to create a different open sea race, with a vertical course towards the North (and not a transversal one like the other races). The Norwegian of the Lofoten joined enthusiastically the project, mainly because they felt the opportunity to develop this extraordinary touristic region.

The race objective is to got o SVOLVAER from DINARD, crossing the North Sea (1200 nautical miles), and after a 10 days break, to go back to DINARD, passing between Ireland and England (the only course’s mark was the city of Glasgow).

SVOLVAER by itself is already an excellent motivation, because the Lofoten archipelago is full of magnificent landscapes, thousands of high snowy islands separated by impressive fjords. This archipelago resources are cod fishing (fish dryers are everywhere) and tourism (many artists are now living here). In addition to that, to cross the Artic Circle during the race is very exciting motivation.

The first leg (DINARD-SVOLVAER) started Sunday the 20th of June 2004. On our trimaran “Vaincre la mucoviscidose” we rapidly took the lead and we passed the Raz Blanchard before the night and the wind disappearance. The next evening we engaged in the North Sea, slaloming in the middle of a very dense commercial traffic and many offshore rigs. After a strong gust of wind that injured different Dinartica’s boat, we continued our way towards the North, following the Norwegian coasts. Three days of a hard lift in short waves, with a temperature loosing a few Celsius degrees everyday.

When we arrived at SVOLVAER after a 7 day race at midnight, the whole city was here to welcome us, and all the boats where outside. Our followers arrived a week later. After a quick check up of the boat, the crew went back to France (we had to go back to work!!).
SVOLVAER’s inhabitants are really involved in the race organisation, which is something very new for them. You have to see them turning around the multi-hull, their enthusiasm and their kindness are unforgettable.

Unfortunately, many boats do not take part at the second leg. Indeed, the two Norwegian mono-hull have already made a round trip, and another French crew decides to continue toward the Spitzberg’s Islands.

The weather is mild and the wind will progressively increase during the 48h first hours. While we are passing the Shetlands’ Islands, our boat hit an unidentified floating object! In fact it is a whale. The huge mammal salutes us with a violent hit with its tail. The result is a blocked rudder and half of it has disappeared. We will finish the race with a boat-made reparation, with all the problem it breeds.

We chose to pass inside the “Hebrides” and through the Irish Canal. This way is shorter and the wayward weather. We arrive in DINARD the morning of the 7th day. The wind is so mild that we will need the help of the Rance’s current in order to cut the finishing line. We won the second leg just as the first one.

Drawing the balance-sheet of this first edition, we can say that this race has everything needed to become a major success: original and tactical course, pleasant destination, excellent organisation (the Open Sea National Union is coordinating the technical assistance), opportunity to participate either to the first or second leg and a neutrality between the two that permits to modify the crew. All of this is due to the incredible energy of the Bruno REIBEL, race coordinator, and his team.

Thanks to all of them.”